Dancing Embers of Fire
by The Meepsta
Summary: After recieving her second letter from outside GA in two years, Mikan Sakura is very excited. But as she opens the envelope, her 12 year-old world is turned upside-down. What is this sudden news? See first chapter inside for full summary. Please R R. :
1. Note and Summary

**Hi readers! Firstly, a HUGE HUGE HUGE thank-you for opening up and choosing to start reading my story. You don't know how much views and reviews mean to me as a very young (and inexperienced) writer.**** If you don't like this story just stop, ok? I'm not one of these authors who force you to read their stories and review, but I do appriciate it X) X)**

**This is only my second fanfic, and my other one is not about Gakuen Alice, but about the Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini (I strongly recommend it to adventure-loving people. Quite similar to Lord of the Rings and Star Wars... I am a fan of both!) Please check my other fanfic out if you are a fan of the series itself, but it won't make much sense unless you have read at least the first book of the series...**

**You've probably guessed that this is my first Gakuen Alice fanfic, but not that this is quite possibly going to be my last. My aim is to make this fanfic very long, and complete it, no matter how long it takes. This is my main project, my main focus when I am not doing schoolwork or loads of music. I hope that this will be a complete story in itself, not just a one-shot or a short drabble like my other fanfic. Depending on the number of reviews I get, I may post chapters quicker or longer to satisfy... **

**Thanks again from 'The Meepsta' :) :)**

**PS: A great hi to my friend '****daa3fan'. I told you I would start writing a story! Hope you are reading this now...**

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Full summary (Just a bit longer than the one before):

After recieving her second letter from outside GA in two years, Mikan Sakura is very excited. But as she opens the envelope, her 12 year-old world is turned upside-down. What is this news, and how will the cheerful light-hearted girl we know react? And most importantly, will she gain some surprising friendships, or lose them all? Mikan balances on the thin and precarious tight-rope of destiny, threatening to fall off at any time. No fortune teller can reveal her twisted future, Alice or no Alice. Only time can tell.


	2. Baka

**First chapter here we go. Tired now, I've spent all evening planning out the basic outline of the whole story, and have just finished. Gonna be great though! I will try to do a chapter each week, but no promises. However, I do work on the 'The more reviews, the faster I write' scheme... so... get reviewing... :)  
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**The Meepsta :) :)**

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Chapter One- Baka

Normal POV

It was just another normal breakfast-time at Alice Academy. Rowdy students force themselves to the front of the cafeteria line, squashing the less- fortunate in their way, only to be sent briskly to the back of the line by the unfortunate teacher on food duty. They might as well try, and that's just what they did today. But it was only because the teacher who took over the second duty at 7:30 was Narumi-sensei: the school staff softie...

"You... you... pervert!" Came a high-pitched shriek from the other side of the canteen. A brown pigtailed girl who was normally discribed by her fellow students as 'cute', 'cheerful' and 'friendly' was jumping up and down on the spot, her face as red as a fire truck." You... you...pp.. ARGH!"

**"BAKA. BAKA. BAKA." **Came the deafening bangs of the legendary Gakuen Alice invention of the century. The prize-winning Gakuen Alice invention of the year, runner up of many international competitions in all the continents of the world. Designed specifically to eliminate idiots automatically and effortlessly in the range of one-hundred metres. Mothers all over the country were begging for it at any price to force obedience into their offspring. But the Ice Queen, the inventor of this destructive device made only one copy. For herself.

The Baka Gun.

Nobody in the cafeteria turned round to look at the commotion. They knew who was wielding the gun, and who was the victim of its wrath. It was almost always the same. They did not need to know any more, and did not want to know: all quaked in their boots in front of the Ice Queen, the Queen of blackmailing. If she was not to shoot you with the Baka Gun or any other of her dastardly inventions, with an devilish smile she would produce from the depths of her pockets a highly embarrassing image, threatening to sell it. If you were popular, this could be the end of you if you refused to do as she wanted, and it would be disastrous even if you weren't one of the 'admired' few. Hotaru Imai had photo-shopping down to a fine art.

"H-O-T-A-R-U! Why? Why shoot me? Why?" The pigtailed girl cried. She had beautiful liquid brown eyes, which were threatening to brim over with tears. "I thought we were best friends!" She screamed in the Ice Queen's left ear, and leaned in for a comforting hug. Pity she never got it.

**"BAKA. BAKA. BAKA."**

Everybody in the cafeteria winced, but stayed facing forwards, nobody even daring to move their neck a centimetre. Nobody liked violence at 7:30 in the morning, but not to say that some in the Natsume and Ruka fan clubs would have enjoyed it later in the day.

"You really are a baka, aren't you Polka? A husky voice commented, coming from an attractive raven- haired boy leaning on the counter. Every girl turned around at this point. That was not just a boy, it was the boy every girl talked about, the boy of every girl's dreams. Natsume Hyuunga. The main focus of all the elementary division fan- clubs in the school. Everybody just HAD to turn round to have a look at him!

"Don't. Call. Me. Polka." The pigtailed girl spat. She was not in one of her best moods today. Maybe she got out the wrong side of bed this morning. "For goodness' sake, why not call me by my real name for once!"

"Ok, Spots."

"That is not my name."

"However, it's the pattern for today."

"What? What?" The pigtailed girl turned a darker shade of red. "How do you... how?"

"It's not my fault that you're so keen to show them to me."

"STUPID PERVERTED STINKING FOX WITH EXCESSIVELY SHORT EYEBROWS!" Now everybody was looking at them with curious and angry expressions on their faces. All the girls were thinking how she dared to talk to their idol in that way, and all the boys were secretly urging the pigtailed girl on. She was their idol too.

"I would burn you if I wasn't feeling so sorry for you..." Natsume stated , angling his head away from the fuming girl beside him.

"Natsume?"

"Hn."

"Oh.. never mind... going to check the post to see if I have any letters."

"Why?"

"Grandpa might have written."

"He hasn't written for the last two years, Mikan."

"You. Just. Called. Me. Mikan!" she exclaimed.

"Hn."

"Hn to you!" Mikan turned onto her heel and sped off into completely the wrong direction, angered at Natsume's uninterested reply. Natsume just had to hide the small smirk pulling at the corners of his mouth. Mikan sighed in desperation, what was to be expected of Natsume? At least she didn't get burnt. Mikan approached the post table, with a heavy heart, convinced that as for the last two years, she would get no mail. But her hazel eyes widened at the sight of a smart envelope lying in front of her. She asked herself: what would Hotaru do in this situation? Could it be a trap? She inspected it: label... typed using a sans-serif font...envelope... standard office-type, cheap...smelt... of glue... ew... fish bones... and the logo? It was foreign to her.

Mikan ran over to her friends.

"Hey, Ruka-pyon! Hey, Hotaru-chan! Hey... Natsume..." she tailed off.

"What is it?" Ruka asked.

"I've got mail! I've got mail!" she joyfully bounced.

"Hyper as usual..." Hotaru grumbled.

"Mood swings..." Natsume remarked.

"Hey! I heard that, Natsume." Mikan, her excitement slightly dampened by his mood. But not for long. "Hotaru... look at this." She shoved the envelope under her nose. "It has a weird fancy logo on it! Should I open it?"

The look of shock and terror on the Ice-Queen's face was quickly concealed by her usual emotionless mask. Natsume noticed, and gave her a queer look, but she returned a blank stare as if to say 'Nothing happened, nothing happened'.

"You can open it if you want, Mikan." Hotaru replied coldly.

Mikan was not prepared as to what was in the letter...

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**Heh! A nice cliffhanger for you all to brood on. I warned you in the summary that there would be a letter containing news, but you still have no idea what the news is about. Teehee...**

**When I get 5 reviews and then I might consider writing the next chapter... but no less than 5! I don't mind critisisms as well as good things in my story. I'm not a perfectionist! :)**

**The Meepsta :) :)  
**


	3. Sealed with Tears, Signed with Blood

**Hi people! Thank you to mikanxnatsumelove, abi clarke, gakuenalicegirl143, joyce09, xXSakura TenshiXx****, ****and kalenwyvern for adding this fic to story alerts/ favourite stories lists. I know I haven't got my 5 review target yet but**** because of you guys, I have decided to write the next chapter anyway. But... pretty please? Review? It won't take a second, I promise!**

**The Meepsta :) :)**

**PS:**** Thanks so much to ****alice acadymy fan for your review, you're the first! I'm really glad you enjoyed it and I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint you. :)**

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Chapter 2- Sealed with Tears, Signed with Blood:

_Flashback..._

_"Hotaru... look at this." She shoved the envelope under her nose. "It has a weird fancy logo on it! Should I open it?"_

_The look of shock and terror on the Ice-Queen's face was quickly concealed by her usual emotionless mask. Natsume noticed, and gave her a queer look, but she returned a blank stare as if to say 'Nothing happened, nothing happened'._

_"You can open it if you want, Mikan." Hotaru replied coldly._

_Mikan was not prepared as to what was in the letter..._

_

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_

Mikan glanced quickly at the piece of paper trembling in her hands. What ugly handwriting, she mused. The beginning read:

_To Mikan Sakura,_

_We are very sorry to inform you that __your grandfather sadly passed away in his home last month.  
_

The others watched intently as Mikan suddenly clutched the letter tightly to her chest, hiding it from their curious gazes. Could this day be all a dream? Mikan reflected. Being shot with the Baka Gun twice, Natsume calling her Mikan, and suddenly without warning receiving a letter in the post? It all seemed too unrealistic to be true... well... all except for the Baka Gun...

She blinked slowly and deliberately, hoping that the letter would just disappear. But luck was not on her side today, it had never been, and the same blunt words were still on the page when she opened her eyes.

_To Mikan Sakura,_

_We are very sorry to inform you that __your grandfather sadly passed away in his home last month. _

_The circumstances of his death were not suspicious, but quite predictable: he had taken a nasty fall down a flight or stairs two weeks previously to his death and had broken his left femur. The doctors at the hospital were fearing that the shock was too much for his frail body and were trying to do as much as they could to help, but he unfortunately died from heart failure on the 30th December.  
_

_Your official guardian for the future, as you are not yet an adult, is yet to be decided. Your school, Alice Academy, will take care of you for the meantime, until we find a suitable candidate for you. As you are a student of the prestigious Alice Academy, one of our 'special' government schools, it will be your Principal's decision whether you should be allowed out of the grounds to attend the funeral on 10th January. We have left the matter for them to discuss.  
_

_Yours very regretfully,_

_Minagawa Kazuyo (Head of Department)_

Empty words. I wonder how many of those letters she has written in her job. Thousands and thousands... too many... too many_  
_

"Ojii-san," Mikan whispered. Hotaru frowned, as it was too faint for her super-sensitive ear-muff sound recorders to pick up. She knew that the logo on the front of the envelope meant that it an official letter from the Government, but she did not know what it was about. Either very bad or very good news... Hotaru referred from experience... but quickly thought back to the ear-muffs. She would definitely have to re-invent those when she got back...

"Ojii-san." Tears blurred Mikan's vision as she caught up with the reality of the situation, not focusing, not feeling, and not caring. She screwed the letter up in her fist, taking her anger out on the poor sheet of paper. But what had it ever done personally to offend?

"Um... Sakura?" Ruka politely broke the tense silence.

"Yes?" Mikan answered bluntly.

"Your hand." Ruka pointed out, losing confidence as he spoke. "Um...how did you do that?"

Only then did Mikan realise that she had cut her hand deeply on the sharp-cornered envelope when scrunching and tearing it up. She had not even registered the pain coming from her wrist when there was more terrible and frightening pains coming from deep inside her... from her normally open heart. But today it was closed to the world, everybody except for her...

Ojii-san.

"..."

"You must have cut it on the envelope!" Ruka sympathised. "Nasty things aren't they? Still, please don't cry. I know it hurts."

"..."

Ojii-san.

"I'll take you to get a plaster, OK?" Ruka tried again to get her talking. But unfortunately it wasn't a lucky day for him either...

"..."

Ojii-san.

And so he towed her out of the breakfast-queue and towards the health centre. An unwilling Mikan tagged along solemnly, unwilling silent tears running down her unwillingly silent face.

Ojii-san.

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**Sorry, this is really really bad! I have just had three cancer jab thingies in both of my arms and they REALLY hurt. I can't concentrate very well.**

**I really will be applying the review policy for next chapter. 5 REVIEWS UNTIL I POST THE NEXT CHAPTER!**

**'Ojii-san' means grandfather in Japanese (just in case some of you might not know...)**

**The Meepsta :) :) (or today, :'( :'( )**


	4. North Star

**Firstly, a HUGE thanks to the five reviewers. You have made me very happy! I have posted a review (on my own story, yes I know... very weird...) which has a short reply for all of you. Please check it out.**

**Secondly, another HUGE thanks to PaTchoRa, Aquamarine Lacus, Chocovani, Shinagi, GAKUENALICEROCKS (favourite author), GAKUENALICEROCKS (again, but this time for favourite story) and natsumeslover for adding this story to their Favourite Stories Lists/ Favourite Authors Lists/ Story Alert Lists. I really appreciate your support.  
**

**This is a very quick chapter, as I have left the story plan in my locker at school. It is the weekend now, so I can't get it now until two days time. :( I am writing from memory... so it might go very wrong... **

**The Meepsta :) :)**

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_Recap of Chapter 2:_

_Ojii-san._

_"I'll take you to get a plaster, OK?" Ruka tried again to get her talking. But unfortunately it wasn't a lucky day for him either..._

_"..."_

_Ojii-san._

_And so he towed her out of the breakfast-queue and towards the health centre. An unwilling Mikan tagged along solemnly, unwilling silent tears running down her unwillingly silent face._

_Ojii-san._

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**Chapter 3- North Star  
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It was merely 10 minutes walk from the breakfast-queue to the health centre, but for Mikan that day it felt like an eternity had passed. She had walked this path to the health centre many times before as she was an easy and common target for trouble, but never before had she felt so lost and confused. When she ran away from Ojii-san to find Hotaru, it was clear in her mind what she was to do, but now? She did not know. She did not even care. Tears blurred her vision as Mikan suddenly remembered what she did not want to remember.

Ojii-san. Where are you now?

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Flashback- 6 years in the past

_"Ojii-san?"_

_"Mikan?"_

_"The stars I see above me in the sky."_

_"Yes?"_

_"Are my parents up there watching me?"_

_"Everyone eventually ends up as a star in the sky. The better the person you are, the brighter you shine."_

_"So Mama and Papa would be the North Star, always pointing in the right direction."_

_"Yes... your parents will always watch over you, keeping you safe."_

_"__Would... would... my parents be proud of me?"_

_"Yes Mikan, they would be very proud of you. And so will I, when I look down on you from the heavens when I am gone."_

_"But.. surely you will never..."_

_"One day I will leave you, Mikan, but I will always remain in your heart..."_

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Ojii-san. Where are you now?

_

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_**Sorry if this chapter is a bit sad. This fanfic will get less sad as it goes on, I promise you! But this is why the genre is listed partly as Hurt/Comfort...  
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**This was just a little filler chapter while I get my story plan. However, I hope it shows you a little more about Mikan's distress.**

**Target for next chapter publishing: 11 reviews in total (including my post, so 5 new reviews please!)**

**The Meepsta :) :)**_  
_


	5. Gone?

_Ojii-san. Where are you now?  
_

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Chapter 4- Gone?

A distraught Mikan ran off in the opposite direction to the Health Centre, towards the direction of the Northern Woods. It was her only safe escape route: any other path would have taken her past the staff room, or even worse, the Natsume and Ruka fan-club girls. They were the last thing she wanted to face now...

"Mikan?" Ruka shouted in deep concern. "Mikan!"

"..."

No reply was granted. Ruka sighed. What was wrong with this girl today?

She quickly left the scene, leaving a shocked and confused Ruka behind, routed to the spot. She knew him well enough that he would not fancy a race against one of the Academy's finest athletes at quarter to 8 in the morning.

"Girls... maybe Natsume was right, Mikan must be having mood swings." He muttered. "I'll leave it to her or Hotaru to sort her own problems out. Hotaru is supposed to be the 'best friend' around here!"

Bad move no.1.

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**Another mini-chapter and another cliffhanger for you! Teehee... I REALLY won't be posting another chapter until I have 11 reviews in total... :)**

**The Meepsta :) :)**


	6. Gone

**This chapter is called 'Gone.' The previous one, you may think, has exactly the same name, but note there is a ? at the end of the 'Gone' not a full-stop. The difference is resonably significant... as you will see... as well as this chapter, small as it is. I have also found a different way of expressing feelings from someone's point of view.  
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**The Meepsta :) :)**

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Timetable:

9:30- Maths.

An empty front-row seat.

10:00- Home engineering.

An unused cookery bowl lying empty on the desk-top.

12:00- Lunch.

A missing smile.

1:00- Dangerous ability class.

Decreased general enthusiasm.

3:00- Sports.

A lacking team leader.

5:15- Science.

An absent object of ridicule.

6:00- Free time.

An afternoon without Mikan.

8:30- Mealtime.

An evening without Mikan.

12:00- In bed.

A day without Mikan.

_- Natsume-_

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_**Why is Natsume's name signed at the bottom of the timetable? A mini-cliffhanger, plus the one from the previous chapter, still not resolved._ Please review my target is 11!_**

**_The Meepsta :) :)  
_**


	7. Revenge

**Hi everyone! Thanks to ****Selina Reije Hyuuga and ChocoStar for adding this to favourite stories/story alert lists. Thanks SO SO much to PaTchoRa and Haap () for your reviews... when I get a few more I will post a review from me again (on my own story) replying to all of your reviews at once. I find it a bit easier that way. I hope I haven't missed anyone off my thanks list... but if I have... huge apologies to you... I really do appriciate your support!**

**This is just another extra filler- chapter off the main story plot, but I wanted to work on Hotaru's character a bit more. Please tell me if you like it! Remember, 11 reviews and I will be very haaappy...  
**

**The Meepsta :) :)**

**PS:If you happen to know who I really am and you are my friends at school, (you know who you are...I have talked to you about it already...) PLEASE don't read this story! I forbid you. Loads of love from R+Sluggy xxx  
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_-Natsume-_

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Chapter 6- Revenge.

Hotaru pocketed the tatty scrap of paper. This could become useful blackmailing material for the future, she mused happily. She had been wanting to get her own back on Natsume for... must be two years now! She had held a grudge against him right back from the first day of term when in boredom he had tried his Alice out on her very first invention. The whole school had to be evacuated when the self-cooling system in the origional Baka Gun had kicked in. The carpets in the homeroom did not dry out for weeks, and eventually had to be replaced. Even Narumi's smile had slightly faded when he witnessed the chaos and destruction it had caused.

A brief smile flashed over the Ice Queen's face, as she evily plotted, exposing razor sharp teeth.

This was the absolute perfect opportunity for revenge.

Now, where to start? She didn't even have to alter the handwriting, it was Natsume's all right! First, she needed take a few convincing scans, photocopies, and photographs of the paper while still in his room (the proof).Then, she would alter the name 'Mikan' to 'Sumire', as well as a few other things, spicing the timetable up a bit. Finally, sell it to the fan-club girls for 500 yen a copy. That should get them chasing after Natsume for miles, Sumire herself hard on his tail, pleading and begging for the absolute truth. She rubbed her slender pale hands in glee, imagining his bewildered face. Not a sight you would normally see. But this was not exactly your normal day.

It was a lucky coincedence in itself that she had her faithful tool-bag with her, full of useful tricks and gadjets. The chance of her sneaking in here again without someone noticing was minimal. She wasn't even planning to look around his room: all she came in for was to return an advanced Maths textbook...

'This is one of the best blackmails I have ever done!' Hotaru murmered. 'I didn't realise outwitting Natsume Hyuunga would be so easy... maybe I should try it again...'

But she one thing she didn't notice was the bedroom door, opening gradually, inch by inch...

Bad move no.2.

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**Cliffhanger... :O**


	8. The Blackmailer is Blackmailed?

**The cliffhanger is resolved?  
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_'This is one of the best blackmails I have ever done!' Hotaru murmured. 'I didn't realise outwitting Natsume Hyuunga would be so easy... maybe I should try it again...'_

_But she one thing she didn't notice was the bedroom door, opening gradually, inch by inch..._

_Bad move no.2_

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Chapter 7: The Blackmailer is Blackmailed?

Footsteps. A floorboard squeaked. The bedroom door creaked ominously. In Hotaru's mind, these three things led to one simple conclusion. There was some-one waiting outside the door. And that person would be armed with fire.

Hotaru froze momentarily in shock, but soon straightened out her back. She imagined Natsume's irritating face smirking at her brief reaction, concealed behind the door. How long had he been there, and how much had he seen and heard? And most importantly of all, would he tell the fan-girls about her visit to his room? They would definately be interested to why she was in there...

For the first time in her life, the chief blackmailer was in danger of being blackmailed. There was no self-invented invisibility powder or mind-wiping wave-emitting gun on hand to save her this time. Her only plan was to face Natsume bravely, no excuses, no lies, armed with no dangerous weapons but the absolute truth.

'Well, at least I don't have the Baka Gun with me.' Hotaru thought ironically, 'It would surely turn on its creator in this situation. I'm being such an idiot!' She felt a unexpected stab of pity for all her victims over the years, as she finally understood how unpleasant these situations could get. Today was definitely not Hotaru's lucky day either...

Suddenly, in the corner of her eye, there was a flash of movement near the doorway. She span around instinctively, a determined expression on her face, jaw tightened, preparing for the very worst she could get.

Her jaw dropped lower and lower.

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**Did you really think I would resolve that cliffhanger? In fact, I have just added another one. I will resolve this one, and the one before in the next chapter. I promise!**

**By the way, sorry about the short chapters, but I find it much easier to write loads of short chapters than a few long ones. Just my weird writing style...**

**13 reviews? Pretty please?  
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**The Meepsta :) :)  
**


	9. An Animal Friend

**One cliffhanger is finally resolved! Phew... :)  
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_Suddenly, in the corner of her eye, there was a flash of movement near the doorway. She span around instinctively, a determined expression on her face, jaw tightened, preparing for the very worst she could get._

_Her jaw dropped lower and lower._

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Chapter 8- An Animal Friend

"Mew?" Said the tiny tabby-cat, poking its tiny head around the corner of the door. "Mew?"

Hotaru sighed in utmost relief, heart beating at twice its normal pace. No Natsume, no Special Star, no dangerous ability Fire-Caster. Just a harmless fluffy kitten.

"Um...hello there." She hesitated slightly, unsure as to how she should talk to a cat. How she wished Ruka was here with her now, as with his animal pheromone Alice he would know exactly what to do with the creature. "How did you get in here?"

"Mew." It replied, in a suspiciously sarcastic tone, looking curiously at Hotaru with its large green eyes as if to say 'How do you think I got in?'.

"Ok... through the window?" She guessed, the stupidity of the conversation beginning to annoy her.

"Mew! Mew! Mew!" It wailed, banging its metal collar against the frame, seeming to enjoy the rhythmic thumping sound.

"Shh... be quiet!" She hissed venomously, making the kitten flinch and take a paw-step back. Hotaru was seriously pissed off now. All the careful measures she took so as to not make a sound were all wasted, as Natsume was bound to come running when he heard the yowling cat in his room.

"What's your name, kitty?" She asked, ticking gently under the cat's chin, trying to find a name-tag and trying to quieten down the stupid animal. Maybe cats are like dogs, and you can tell them what to do using their names, Hotaru thought. That would be very useful in this situation. Everything was getting just a little out of hand...

Finally...success! The cat's name was Eri, or at least, that was what was enscribed on the collar. But what was that piece of paper doing, attatched with string? Hotaru unfolded the paper and began to read...

_To N..._

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**One more to resolve!**

**The Meepsta :)  
**


	10. The catmail postal service

**Sorry for not posting this chapter quicker****. It is longer (and took longer) than the last ones as it has the content for two chapters in one.**

**I have now found my story-plan in my locker at school so I am back on track... I got a bit diverted... none of the last 6 chapters (including this one) should have happened according to my little green book!  
**

**Thanks to **** for putting this on their favourite stories list (as well as many others), and all the reviewers. 16 would be very good for the next chapter! **

**The Meepsta :) :)  
**

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_Hotaru unfolded the paper and began to read..._

_To N..._

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Chapter 9- The cat-mail postal service.

_To N_

_Seriously. It is stupid I even need to waste a tree writing this note. Don't waste energy worrying about me, I'm absolutely fine. Honestly. You can borrow Hotaru's lie detector if you want to prove it. I have just had a little bad news. I will not be coming to school for a few days, or maybe a week or so. I don't know yet. It is up to the school to decide. Running out of space._

_ M_

_PS: Don't tell the others this. I don't want them to know anything. I just wrote this so that you would not worry. OK?_

Hotaru scanned the note with her deep amethyst eyes. The writer's style was so alien to her, but yet so very familiar, every word giving that the impression that 'M' was not 'absolutely fine' after all. It only made sense to assume that the M at the signed at the bottom stood for her best friend, Mikan, and the N at the top stood for Natsume. And of course, 'the others' referred to herself and Ruka. It all made sense in the context. No other person, possibly Ruka, was close enough to Natsume to send him a letter, and no other Baka in Alice Academy would think of such a stupid idea for a postal service. Cat-mail? Hopeless... and extremely unreliable. Who knows how long this note had been delayed while the kitty went to find some tasty tuna?

Suddenly, Hotaru grasped the importance and reality of the letter. Mikan had managed to involve herself in a 'Situation' again, but this time is was not necessarily her fault. Mikan trusted the irresponsible fire-caster, not the 'best friend' Hotaru.

The characteristically cold Ice-Queen suddenly felt so many emotions. Rejection of trust... from her best friend, the only person she deeply cared about. Helplessness... that even the strongest and most dangerous person could be so weak. How is she not able to aid the person she cares about most when they both subconsciously depend on each other so much? The answer was simple: she was the cold blackmailer she was famous for, devoid of any human emotion. An empty human shell.

She would go and talk to Mikan, seek her hidden location, even if protected by the strongest barrier Alice in the world. Even if she died trying. She had almost done it before.

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"I'm glad you enjoyed looking around my room..." came an impassive voice from just behind her.

Damn.

She could feel the tickle of his breath on the back of her neck where her jet-black hair had slightly parted. She immediately knew who it was, only one person could sneak up so close to the Ice-Queen without her noticing. If it was Ruka, his pet bunny would have reached her first and attached himself to her arm (he was getting to be quite fond of her nowadays), and Mikan... it was obvious why it wasn't her! She would have alerted Hotaru half a mile away, bumping into everything on sight, making a terrible din and alerting the whole academy to her presence. Plus, Mikan would never have crept up on Hotaru, would just have given her a huge hug. The image made a slight smile appear on her lips before turning into one of her usual pouts. It just had to be that meddling fire-caster... hang on... just who was the meddling one here?

"Did you find anything interesting to blackmail me with?" The voice alerted Hotaru to her senses, causing her to jump a little in surprise, and turn around. Red irises. Raven hair. Natsume Hyuunga. Triple damn. She heard a slight amused chuckle at her response, turned her back on the fire-caster, and briskly headed towards the door. She was determined not to lose any more of what she had gained. At least she still had the timetable in her overcoat pocket... not a complete loss...

The infuriating voice spoke again. "Oh...and by the way... before you leave... can you give that timetable back? I have 24hr CCTV cameras focusing on my desk, you know, and I enjoyed the whole show from my sitting-room laptop. Remember, you gave the cameras to me for my birthday present last year. Foolproof, you said. I'm glad to know they work."

It just had to be one of her inventions that let her down in the end. Maybe she was too smart for her own good, as the fan-girls often say. She ungraciously shoved the scrap of paper into his open palm, and with purrfect timing, hissed:

"You have cat-mail."

She noticed how her hissing tone was very similar to the kitten's, when she had attempted to tickle the creature under the ears. A very bad move. Nearly took her hand off. Natsume looked shocked, maybe that cat was a little useful after all...


	11. Loneliness

Japanese Studies Exam- Natsume Hyuunga

Writing a poem about Loneliness

You are my only light,

My single guiding star.

Forever showing me what to do,

Wherever you are.

But tell me, where are you now

To help me see this through.

Because all I can ever think of is

You.

* * *

_Flashback:_

_Her pigtails flying at a curious 90 degree angle, she charged straight at me, and at the only shelter there was in sight. It really was a fierce storm! I barely suppressed a chuckle at the sight of her face; a perfect image of 'pissed off', but the amused glint in my eyes still remained when she reached me._

_"Why didn't you come and find me?" she whined._

_"Hn." My usual emotionless reply._

_"Why?"_

_"I didn't want to get wet."_

_"Hey! You BAKA!"_

_"Take my jacket, you must be cold." I replied, ignoring her petty insult. Didn't she realise the extent of my condition: I could not afford to get wet and cold and become ill. A bad cold plus everything else could be the end of me. Didn't she even realise how much I already protected her, a pair of eyes watching her back every step she took. Maybe it was better she knew me as an emotionless creature than an obsessive stalker. It was better... as long as I protected her she would be there, and her smiles would keep me fighting, until my very last breath. She was my life, my only goal. Her smiles would keep me alive...  
_

* * *

Without your smiles,

The world is bland.

For me, the sun never shines,

And I crave for the warmth of your hand.

I wonder if right now

You dream of me too,

Because all I can ever dream of is

You.

* * *

_Memory:_

_The blackness closed around me. I could see a figure heading into the far distance, short with two pigtails. Mikan. She was heading into danger, I knew it, my sixth sense told me that. I ran after her, but my feet felt as if they were stuck in deep mud, rooted to the spot. I tried even harder to move, but to no avail. I was completely stuck._

_I activated my Alice, but it would not work. There must be somebody with a barrier Alice nearby, I concluded. I tried harder and harder to break through, until my body screamed to stop, but I did not. Mikan must not go any further. Not one more step. Mikan. Mikan! Mikan!  
_

_Suddenly my Alice worked, but now it was too strong... way too strong. I could not stop it. I watched from my pool of mud as Ruka came to try and help me, but died in the blaze, then Hotaru came to help her best-friend. She also died, a peaceful and content expression on her face. Finally Mikan was engulfed in the blaze. No. No! This could not be happening. It is a dream. But it was too realistic to be a dream.  
_

_When the fire had died down, I saw the bodies. Charred and blackened, unrecognisable. I had killed them. I had killed them with my own Alice. Hotaru, Ruka, and Mikan. I touched Mikan's corpse for the last time, tears openly running down my face. I had nothing to live for. I now had to die. I activated my own Alice once again, but before my own flames cremated me, I heard a familiar voice in my head._

_"I hate you. You killed me. I hate you."_

_Mikan's voice._

_I died.  
_

_Another nightmare._

* * *

A human malfunction;

What is the point of emotion?

As even the strongest of us,

Will fall when we remember our devotion.

It is a question I can ask, but no-one can answer.

Are we puppets, amusement, on the world's stage?

As Shakespeare once said;

Is the world just a show?

* * *

"Time's up." came Narumi-senseii's optimistic voice. "Now NO talking, unless to me, until all the papers are collected in, OK? Luna?"

"Yes."

"Natsume?"

"Yes."

"Hotaru?"

"Yes."

"Ruka?"

"Yes."

"Mikan?" Silence. "Ah yes... she's... absent..."

"Sumire?"

"Yes."

"Right, you can all go now! Well done, I hope you enjoyed the task. I set it, you know..."

Sighs from the class. They knew it as soon as they read the assignment.

* * *

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	12. The 'best friend' figure

**Hello everybody! Big thanks to all the reviewers (I will be replying to your reviews by posting one from me) and to Aelita56 (favourite story), and jaxfiction145  
**

* * *

Chapter 11- The 'best friend' figure

"Mikan? Hellooo?" Ruka called through the keyhole of room 144. "Mr Bunny's here to see you!"

"Shut up, you Baka. As soon as she sees your face, she certainly won't open up." Hotaru taunted, putting her talents into use.

"Huff..."

"I'll do the talking. I have my Baka gun with me, and believe it or not, it can be used on annoying animals. So shut up... bunny boy." The Ice-Queen threatened.

The accused schoolboy sweat-dropped, and clutched the quivering ball of white fluff closer to his chest.

"As you would certainly agree, I'm the 'best friend' figure here. So leave it to me..."

"OK... if there's anything I can do..."

"No. There isn't. Now stand back." The blackmailer commanded. "Mikan. We know you're there. Open up now, or you will have to pay for your door. Or worse, a visit from Narumi-sensei."

"That's a bit mean." The blond-haired boy complained. "Take it easy for once!"

Hotaru's eyes narrowed to dangerous slits. "It's how I always am. She should be used to it by now."

"Time to change your ways. Be more compassionate and caring for others."

The Ice-Queen ignored him. "I'm going to get my battering ram." She yelled. "Prepare for splinters!"

"Are you sure this is..."

**BAKA BAKA BAKA**

The unpleasant sound of the Baka gun echoed down the empty corridor.

"Don't question my motives ever again. You are very lucky your pet was not the main target. This time. Now follow me... to Narumi sensei and my ram!"Hotaru strode down the corridor, trailing a badly beaten-up boy and his rabbit behind her on the floor. "This is urgent, you know!" She complained.

As the two figures turned the corner at the end of the corridor, they did not notice the door of room 144 gradually opening. A pig-tailed figure suddenly darted out and locked the door behind her, making no sound when the mechanism clicked. She ran down the corridor, her feet barely touching the floor, heading towards the staff room...

* * *

**Just a quick chapter, but I hope you enjoyed reading it anyway! Would 20 reviews be too much to ask?**

**I will try to update as much and a soon as I can, but I am going to a residential orchestra course for a week and a half or so, so please don't get cross if I don't update quite as much in a few days time! I am trying my hardest! **

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	13. Poor sensei

**A very short chapter as I have to go and play my cello soon (I am at an orchestra residential course with minimal internet connectivity :( ), but hope you like it...**

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* * *

_"Don't question my motives ever again. You are very lucky your pet was not the main target. This time. Now follow me... to Narumi sensei and my ram!"Hotaru strode down the corridor, trailing a badly beaten-up boy and his rabbit behind her on the floor. "This is urgent, you know!" She complained. _

_As the two figures turned the corner at the end of the corridor, they did not notice the door of room 144 gradually opening. A pig-tailed figure suddenly darted out and locked the door behind her, making no sound when the mechanism clicked. She ran down the corridor, her feet barely touching the floor, heading towards the staff room... _

* * *

Poor sensei...

After much searching, they found Narumi-sensei tanning on the patio. I know. Don't ask. Tanning on the patio.

As soon as the two students saw him lying there, they almost gave up hope. Hotaru, however, had reminded Ruka merely five minutes ago that this particular 'sensei' was the only person with the spare key to room 144. Running away would not be the best option... or the painless option, if the Baka Gun was to be involved.

"Um...um..." Ruka mumbled, trying desperately to catch Narumi's eye. "Um... sen..."

"Just leave it all to me! What did I tell you earlier?" Hotaru interrupted, pulling him back into the shade of the pink-blossomed sakura tree. Such a fitting tree in the particular circumstances, thought the Ice-Queen. Sakura... hm...

The boy interrupted her musings. "That you're in charge?"

"That was a rhetorical question." The Ice-Queen sighed. "Stay there."

"Oh...h...ho...Hotaru?" Ruka watched in anxiety as she silently crept right up to the now sleeping Narumi, snapping photos at every unique opportunity. "'Taking embarrassing snapshots of teachers' was not an item featuring in our original plan!" Ignoring him completely, Hotaru then took a sound recording, hoping that nobody knew that sensei snored like a pig! This would make big money! Time to wake the sleepy sensei up...

"Oi!" She yelled right into his left ear, making him cry out in shock.

"Imai? What can I do for my precious student?" Hotaru beckoned for Ruka to emerge from the shadows. "Ah... students! How wonderful!"

"No time for that frilly twaddle. We need the key to room 144 right NOW."

"You do know that because I'm only a junior teacher..."

"Yeah."

"I'm not supposed to give students the spare set of keys..."

"Yeah."

"No matter how urgent..."

"Now."

"I'm not really..."

"I'll sell the pictures."

"What pictures?"

"Duh, you Baka! The ones I just took with my portable camera. You were asleep. Videos too. This is your very last chance to save your reputation. Bring the key here before ten minutes is up, or images of a sunbathing sensei will be all over the school by tonight..."

"No! Yes! No!"

Hotaru tapped her fingers on the deck-chair, assuming a bored expression.

"Oh all right then...I'll give you the key. " Narumi-sensei scuttled into his office, hobbit-style. After 10 minutes 38.75 seconds, according to Hotaru's self-invented timer, he reappeared. "Here you go!"

"You were 38.75 seconds late. Inexcusable. Maybe I will sell those photos after all... but anyway, thanks for the key." Hotaru replied bluntly, the two students zooming off on the back of a scooter, leaving only a billowing cloud of dust behind, and a trail of destruction in its wake. The Ice-Queen was in a bad mood...

* * *

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	14. Decision

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* * *

Chapter 13- Decision

**_Welcome to the Staff room._**

**_Remember, NO knocking between the times:_**

**_ 8:00am-8:30 am_**

**_11:45 am-12:45 pm_**

**_2:15pm-2:30pm_**

**_Unless the matter is urgent or an emergency._**

A shivering figure hovered outside the oak-panelled door. In the rush to escape Hotaru and Ruka, she had left her warm green jacket behind.

* * *

_Flashback- 6 years ago_

_January 1st  
_

_Hotaru and her were playing in the back-end of her garden under the now-sleeping Sakura tree. It was the first snowfall of Winter!_ _Still-falling flakes fell in her open mouth, melting on her tongue. She enjoyed the weird tingling sensation._

_"Hey!" shouted the little-girl Hotaru from behind her. Mikan turned around to face her best-friend, with her mouth still open, trying to melt some more snow-flakes._

_THUMP. THUMP. THUMP._

_Three snowballs hit her hard in the head, the shoulders, and her leg, soaking right through her birthday clothes. If only the heat from her body did not melt the snow, she would be much drier._

_"Oy! You meanie!" she screamed, faking her extreme anger. I hope this works..."I'm freezing. __WAAAAAAAAH!_" 

_"Take my rain-mac. I don't want you to get ill. I will be lonely." Hotaru thoughtfully stripped her only protective layer off, and gave it to Mikan, only to find a large snowball heading her way... _

_**THUMP.**  
_

_Revenge._

_So sad. The only time Mikan was as evil as Hotaru was when they were both only 6 years old.  
_

* * *

Hotaru...

* * *

_Flashback-5 years ago_

_First week of October  
_

_They were walking in the park, about 15 minutes walk from her house._ _The tall trees looming above her were painted brilliant shades of fiery reds, yellows, and oranges, and fascinated her beyond belief. Why must the leaves go these brilliant colours, then drop off and rot? It is a huge waste... maybe if she collected them and brought them home, they would keep their colours...  
_

_"Silly Mikan" her grandfather interrupted her thoughts. "Now what am I to do with you?"_

_"What have I done now, Ojiisan?" she replied, wary of her grandfather's weary tone.  
_

_"You idiotic Baka, you left your raincoat at home. Now that it is Autumn, the weather is getting colder and wetter. You know that. We will have to go home now."_

_"Now?" she wailed. "Why now? I was having so much fun!"_

_"When you get a cold, will you be having fun then? Never go out without a jacket on. The first rule of life. Remember that Mikan, and you will be ill far less..."_

_Ojiisan, you were so wise. I miss you...  
_

* * *

Mikan strained her ears. She could just about hear faint voices inside the room, debating about some important news, but she could not tell what. Interesting. Ah... what I would do for a pair of Hotaru's earmuff inventions, Mikan fantasised, pressing her ear hard against the keyhole, hoping that nobody would come strolling along the corridor at that particular moment in time.

"Now... enough of that, Persona." Came a crawly voice. Jinno. Just the person she was hoping would not be there. But what was Persona talking about? "I have a complaint to make about the state of the boys' bathrooms? They are run-down, dirty, and some of the doors do not lock any more. Something must be done."

"Don't we already have a cleaner employed?" Misaki queried.

"She is not doing her job."

"Maybe she has too much work."

"We will need to employ another one then."

"Or sack her." Persona interrupted. "The simplest solution."

Ugh. Such a little, petty problem. Should she dare to intrude on the meeting inside, or should she not? What was the time?

She considered asking Hotaru, but was bound to get an unco-operative reply. Plus, she would waste time tracking her down, and get Hotaru curious in why she was wanting to know the time in the first place. Not a good idea.

She rapped on the door.

Once.

No answer.

Twice.

No answer. She started to turn away.

The door opened with a huge creak. A dominating figure framed the doorway. Persona.

"Ah... Mikan. We have been expecting you. Please come in..."

* * *

**Another cliffhanger...**


	15. The two conditions

**Just a little mini filler chapter... tired now...**

* * *

Chapter 14- The two conditions

Principal Kuonji , the Elementary School Principal, broke the tense silence in the staff room. Nobody wanted to be the first to speak, but Mikan certainly didn't want the ESP to be the first.

"Mikan, we know the issue you have come to talk to us about. The matter of your grandfather's death is very... sad." Empty words, thought Mikan. Just like the letter contained. Empty words= empty people.

"How do you know?" She blurted out, deliberately being rude. Nobody was going to give her a detention for speaking impolitely to the teachers in this terrible 'time of distress'.

"Minagawa Kazuyo was so very kind to send the school a copy of the letter for our records." He replied, a jeering smile on his face. "Her and I are... old friends. She used to work at the academy." Of course they were 'old friends', thought Mikan, as they were so similar in personality and manners... too similar...

"As you are aware, it is my decision whether I allow you out of the grounds to attend the funeral in a week's time. As you are a 'special' student, also classified as 'problem' student..."

"NO! You can't do this!"

"Mikan! Don't push it..." Hīmemiya, the Middle School Principal warned. But Mikan did not listen to her. She was beyond it.

"You can't!"

"Listen! There are two conditions to this deal. You might be able to attend the funeral if..." He gave the girl a murderous glare,"No.1, you stay away from the other students until the funeral has passed, including Natsume Hyuunga and Hotaru Imai. No contact outside of normal lessons is allowed and you will be punished severely if you disobey this rule. "

"You can't..."

"Oh yes I can. I have more power over you than you could ever imagine, Miss Sakura."

"Go easy on her, Kuonji, she's had a hard time..." Nodacchi -sensei , the man sitting next to the ESP whispered in his ear. The Principal, however, just ignored Nodacchi's comment and carried on talking:

"You will be kept in a room far far away from the other dorms in the Middle School Building. Have we, or have we not, agreed this, Principal Hīmemiya?"

"Yes, Kuoiji."

"Good. And condition no.2, Persona has to accompany you on the trip. Persona, meet Mikan Sakura."

"Thanks for the brief introduction, Principal, but I know Mikan already. Everybody seems to in the academy."

"I agree to your conditions. Now, let me GO!" Mikan spat. Her heart was full of hate and even pity for the man in front of her, blackmailing her over her own grandfather's death. What had reduced him to this sorry creature?

"Fine. Principal Hīmemiya will now show you to your new room. Goodbye, may we meet again, Sakura. You are very valuable, the school would hate to lose you."

* * *

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	16. Never give up

**Thanks to all the reviewers and people who have added me/this to their favourite stories/authors/story alert lists. I LOVE you all! :):)**

**I am going soon to a course for about 2 weeks without my laptop of an Internet connection, so won't be updating for quite a while :( I have made this chapter much longer than my usual ones to say 'please don't get bored when i'm away' and 'I do read your reviews, and have taken the popular criticism 'it's too short' to heart'.**

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* * *

Chapter 15- Never give up

Mikan POV

_'Goodbye, may we meet again, Sakura. You are very valuable, the school would hate to lose you.'_

What could that possibly mean, and why am I in danger of being 'lost'? There must be some sort of an ominous and subtle warning behind that simple statement, as it doesn't make a lot of sense. But maybe that's just the typical dense Mikan. Natsume had always said I was completely unaware to the most obvious things happening around me. Could it be that he knew all about this already? Oh... I've got myself into such a stupid mess! As usual.

_But I didn't really have much choice in my decision, did I?_

"Hey, Polka." Natsume of course. Speaking of the devil. "Polka?" I need to see his face one more time, need to hear his voice one more time. He would know what to do and say. He would cheer me up, make me angry, then make me laugh. But I could not see him, could not hear him. The ESP's threatening words rang in my head, making it throb painfully.

Great. A migraine on top of all of this!

_'No.1, you stay away from the other students until the funeral has passed, including Natsume Hyuunga and Hotaru Imai. No contact outside of normal lessons is allowed and you will be punished severely if you disobey this rule.'_

"Hey. What's the matter?" He asks again. My only reply is to stiffly walk past him. Polite, aren't I? I could afford to lose control this time. I could not lose control.

"Mikan?" I didn't know Natsume's voice could be so soft, so kind. He is only trying to help, and he does not know anything. But just as I'm about to turn my head to give him one of my famous reassuring smiles, a hand is placed firmly on my shoulder, steering me away far from him. I had almost forgotten about Principal Hīmemiya there beside me. I have failed already. Did she notice? Silly Mikan. Baka Mikan. The best thing is to just keep on walking, ignoring the world around me, ignoring Natsume.

_'Mikan?'_ His voice echoed. My thoughts drifted back to Ojiisan, and my eyes filled with barely contained tears. Life is so cruel, too cruel. Ojiisan, and now separation from the only people who could make me fell better. Ojiisan. Hotaru. Natsume. Ruka. These four people mean the world to me. But do I really mean the world to them?

Pain.

_'Mikan?' _The voice rang around my head, suddenly making me feel dizzy.

Help me. Someone. Help me!

The world span around, and I felt myself falling. Red spots danced across my vision.

Ruka?

Down.

Hotaru?

Towards the floor.

Natsume?

A supporting body caught me just in time, mere milliseconds before I hit the hard paving stones.

Black.

_I must not give up._

* * *

Hotaru POV (from a secret camera in the corridor)

What has the stupid Baka done now? Collapsing in front of Natsume and the Middle School Principal? What does she think she is doing, play-acting like this?

But the longer she stays there, lifeless in the MSP's arms, I start to wonder and worry. Questions start to form in my mind.

What if she isn't play-acting?

What if she really is ill?

My life would not be a life without my Baka Mikan to brighten up my greyest days.

She is my life.

_She must not give up on me._

* * *

Ruka POV

I've never seen my best-friend so...disturbed... without activating his Alice.

He is refusing to talk to anybody, even me, and his body language seems to say 'just go away and leave me alone'. His eyes blaze with fury, his jaw clenched tight, and his grip so tight on his pencil that he shattered it into shards. Everybody except for me seems to think that he just got out of bed on the wrong side today, but I know him too well to think that. He is upset about something, but won't tell me what it is. Strange...

Talking about strange things, I haven't seen Mikan today. I wonder where she is, and if she's OK.

What on earth has happened?

* * *

Natsume POV

I can see her. The petite girl with two drooping brown pigtails, and tear-stained puffy hazel eyes. For the first time in my life, I have seen Mikan Sakura's unhappy face. Not a good thing. I have finally found her: the object of my continuous searching for over two hours. But now I am afraid to approach her foreign, alien side. She isn't the Mikan I know.

She is slowly walking side by side with the Middle School Principal down the long corridor leading to the Middle School block. It's one of the few forbidden areas to ordinary Elementary School pupils, but I don't care. I'm not exactly your ordinary Elementary School pupil, and nor is she, anyone should know that. I quickly approach her, before I can change my mind, ignoring many curious gazes.

"Hey, Polka." I reply as usual, hopefully hiding my concern. At least she would know it was me, and surely would give me one of her cheery smiles. I had to admit I'm worried for her.

"Polka?" No reply from her, just a stony and emotionless face. Something is wrong.

"Hey. What's the matter?" I try again, getting more worried by the second and a menacing glance from the MSP. Something was very wrong with those two bakas. I hide a small smile as a brilliant plan to attract her attention popped into my head. Call her for once by her real name. That'll give her a shock...

"Mikan?" I prompt, using my kindest and most persuasive voice. It always works on any fan-girl when I want them to do something, but unfortunately not for Mikan. Possibly her head might have turned slightly in my direction, but as usual, I was probably imagining things. Hallucinations. I'm far too tired...stupid Persona... have done too many missions... _but I must not give up._

The MSP forcefully steered Mikan away from me, determined for her not to speak. I saw a great change come upon Mikan's face as she was dragged away; her eyes became unfocused, and she paled, making her look ill. I followed them, persistent that I would not let them go. _I must not give up._

The MSP suddenly stopped, almost making me bump into her. Just as I quickly sidestep, avoiding an awkward situation, I see Mikan collapsing backwards, heading straight towards the stone pavement... my arms stretch out and catch her at the last moment. Maybe I have something to thank Persona's training for... I don't want to think what would have happened if my reflexes weren't so good...

The first thing I check is that she's breathing. Breathing, but unconscious, helpless in my arms. What have those bastards done to her?

"Give her back to me." The MSP demanded.

"No. What have you done to her?"

"We have done nothing. Give her back now, or she will suffer because of your refusal. Your choice, Hyuunga."

I could not let her be in pain. I could not do this.

I handed her over. I let her go. Did I do the right thing?

_But I didn't really have much choice in my decision, did I? _

_I must not ever give up._

* * *

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	17. Awakening

**Last chapter before I go. Really must rush: packing car etc. I will post in about 2 weeks time when I'm back! :)**

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* * *

Chapter 14- Awakening

Mikan POV

* * *

_I saw_ _him_ _crouched there_, _scrunched up in a tight ball, as if trying to hold himself together. Natsume. There were tears of pain running down his face and off the end of his chin, and numerous gashes on his arms and torso. He was on a mission, and __he was suffering. _

_____Why are you doing this?_  


_A dark figure appeared from between the thick clumps of trees. A man dressed in a pitch-black cape, and a mask as black as coal. Every part of him seemed to warn you of his terrible Alice: the mark of death. Persona.  
_

_"Get up. You know what to do." His voice was harsh, like piercing daggers. "Or ' Little Miss Sakura' will suffer. Get up, if you really want to bear her pain."_

_What are you doing?  
_

_Natsume silently obeyed his teacher, still wheezing heavily. He hobbled away into the distance, leaning heavily on his right leg. Persona's unpleasant gaze did not leave his back until he was too far away to be seen, as if he would disobey his teacher at any moment._

_"Mikan..."_

___His voice sighed again in my head like before. _

_____"Mikan..."_  


_"Natsume! Don't go__..." I cried out, but his voice just echoed in my head, getting fainter and fainter every second. He could not even hear me.  
_

___I must not give up._

_______"Mikan..."_  


* * *

Hollow footsteps awakened me from my slumber, and echoed around the room. I did not know where I was, or what I was doing there, as my eyelids were too heavy and sleepy to lift, and every sound seemed to be muffled, as if I was under a thick blanket. The noise soon faded away, allowing me to sink into another relaxing sleep. It was warm, it was comfy. What could be wrong with going back to sleep?

* * *

_Natsume was now on another mission. He was hidden in an old abandoned mansion, the base of a secret anti-Alice Academy organisation. He was to steal a particular deep- blue Alice stone from the vault in the cellar: one of Persona's many greedy tasks. He had the combination to the safe, he was already on the staircase, and just going down to the basement. What could possibly go wrong? _

_It was a pity he didn't notice the painful trip-wire on the steps, connected to the main alarm. He fell over it, and landed sideways on the cold stone-floor. Blood poured out of a deep gash in his right arm, cut by a collection of misplaced sharp-edged tins. Or were they deliberately placed sharp-edged tins?_

_He heard footsteps on the floor above, doors slamming, shouting, and piercing alarms. They would find him soon. _

_But he must not fail. He must not fail..._

_Strong arms picked him up and dragged him ungently along the dirty floor. A flash of a black mask told him who his savior was. Persona. Three words escaped his rescuer's mouth.  
_

_"You have failed."_

_____Mikan..._  


* * *

I don't know how much longer I slept, but sometime later, hushed voices awoke me again. A door or a window was opened, letting a warm shaft of sunlight fall on my face and neck, bathing them in temporary warmth. But unlike the first time, the noise did not fade away, but got louder and louder, the babble dragging me further and further out of my unconscious state. I finally surfaced... finally free. It was like I had been drowning, only to be pulled out of the water at the last minute. But who was my saviour?

* * *

_It was time for his punishment. He had failed the mission, as he was too tired and injured after doing so many missions in one week. But to Persona, that wasn't significant. His student had failed. It was as simple as that._

_"I am disappointed in you, Hyuunga. Without me there, you would have been dead meat. Literally."_

_There was only one thing for Natsume to do: thank him for his help._ _After all, Persona had saved him..._

_"Thank you, Persona." He spitted out, making it sound as offensive as he could dare. "Where am I?"_

_"In the hospital. Miss Sakura is here as well. I will go and visit her..."_

_"No! What are you going to do to her? Leave her alone!" He kicked the tight hospital bedsheets, hoping to throw them off, but __ injuring himself even further_. He could not escape.  


_"Nurse." Persona called. "It's time for some more sedative. The patient is getting a little... distressed."_

_He felt the tranquillizer seeping through the needle in his arm, into his veins, calming him. How easy it would be to sleep. Just as he was drifting off, he felt a whisper of breath on the back of his neck.  
_

_"Her pain is your punishment."_

_No!  
_

_Mikan.  
_

* * *

"Welcome back, Mikan. You were in a high fever for two full days now." A beaming nurse exclaimed, bending down over me. "We were very worried for you."

"Am I in the hospital?" I asked, my words slightly slurred, remembering my strange dream.

"Yes you are, darling. Now, I have to ask you, are you feeling OK? Anything you want?"

"I'm hungry." I said, telling her the first thing that came into my mind. "Can I eat something?"

The nurse chuckled. "That's the only thing I can't get you! I'm not allowed to give a patient something to eat under 3 hours after they have woken up from a deep sleep. Annoying, isn't it? I'm very sorry, Miss...er..."

"Sakura. But call me Mikan, just Mikan." She gave the nurse a dazzling smile. "What can I call you?"

"You can call me Akemi." The nurse shyly admitted.

There was a sudden rapping on the door, and Akemi ran to open it.

"Is she awake?" A rasping voice asked.

"Yes, sir." Sir?

"Good. May I come in."

"My orders are to not let..."

"Let me in."

"I can't, sir. I'm very s.." Akemi didn't have time to finish her sentence, because the man outside rudely walked straight in, squashing her against the wall.

"'Little Miss Sakura', we meet again."

A man dressed in a pitch-black cape and a mask as black as coal stood at the end of the bed. Every part of him seemed to warn you of his terrible Alice: the mark of death.

Persona.

* * *

**Cliffhanger... as usual :)**

**I will explain stuff in next chap  
**


	18. Emotionless?

**Back from my course, so will be updating again :) One problem though... and that is that I have NO idea what to write for the next chapter :(. Ah well... I'm sure I'll work it out somehow :)  
**

** Jeshika5 , quristle , hannah-chanxox (for story alert, favourite author, AND reviewing :)), Amai Youkaiko , and magical purple butterfly . You are the reason why I got on with writing this chapter straight away. ****Thank you all SOOOOO much!**  


**The Meepsta :) :)**

**PS: ****hannah-chanxox ** , I told you NOT to read this story. But I am glad that you like it... :) :)  


* * *

_ Flashback:_

_"'Little Miss Sakura', we meet again."_

_A man dressed in a pitch-black cape and a mask as black as coal stood at the end of the bed. Every part of him seemed to warn you of his terrible Alice: the mark of death._

_Persona._

* * *

Chapter 17- Emotionless?

Normal POV

"Nurse. Now, can I speak to the girl alone?" Persona asked Akemi, a dangerous edge in his voice. He was expecting her to quail under his sinister aura, and as foreseen, she did. Anyone sane, excluding Mikan Sakura, would have done so in the situation. But you couldn't exactly count Mikan as being wholly sane...

"Yes, sir." The nurse gasped, winded after being shoved into the wall. "Of course, sir. I will go... right... now!" The nurse slipped out of the room silently, hoping not to nuisance Persona any further. He obviously meant business... poor little Mikan... why had she told him?

"Can I call you Mikan?" Persona broke the awkward silence.

"Yes." Mikan answered. She would have not liked this man even if she had not dreamt about him. You just have to look at what he did to Akemi...

"Good." Persona replied. He was not well known for his conversational skills.

"What should I call you, if you are to call me Mikan? Should I call you sir?" Mikan asked, copying Akemi's polite address._  
_

"Yes. That will do for now."

"I understand... sir." There was a short gap while Persona cleared his throat, and he turned to Mikan, his mouth behind the black mask compressed into a thin blood-red line. Emotionless, and deadly. Mikan was almost expecting a forked snake's tongue to come shooting out of his mouth at any moment.

_Her pain is your punishment._

"Good. Now... to business. At first, when you were in your high fever, we thought it was just normal, and it would pass. But soon we realised what it really was. The creation of a new Alice."

A small gasp from Mikan.

"The emotion Alice."

"What is that?" Mikan's voice trembled. "What new Alice do I now have? Tell me!"

"Be quiet, child, and listen." Persona hissed. "The emotion Alice is imprecise, but very rare. It grants you the ability to see the people you care about when they are in danger, but only a few minutes in advance to the event happening. Do you understand now?"

"Yes sir."

"Now, when you were asleep, did you see anything? A weird dream?"

"No." Mikan lied. She did not want to tell him the pain she had seen on his face, his suffering, and his maltreatment.

The things she had seen.

"You are lying. You sleep-talk, you know. Your 'friend' nurse Akura was very kind to tell me the things you said."

Mikan's head started to swim, and tears formed in her eyes. Akura had told him. She seemed so nice. She trusted her. Betrayal.

"Some of the words you mentioned in your sleep were 'Natsume', 'trouble', and 'help'. That is, if I recall correctly. But my memory has never failed me yet. Now, tell me what you have seen."

Silence.

"Tell me. This is your last chance."

Silence.

"Very well then, I know that you know what he is going through. I know that you can see his agony. And there is nothing you can do about it. If you had answered me, I would have gone a bit easier on him. But now..."

"No! There is something I can do." Mikan cried out.

Persona looked up in slight interest.

"I can take his place. I will take his place."

Persona's mouth turned up at the edges. He was smiling. He had got what he wanted.

"Mikan Sakura. Welcome to the Dangerous Ability class."

He walked out of the room, leaving a dazed Mikan lying alone in the hospital bed.

___Her pain is your punishment, Natsume. Remember that. You will regret failing that mission._

___Her pain is your punishment._  



	19. Two Questions

**A shortish chapter for all of you people. Sorry for all you people who like it more than 700 words, but that's just tough this time! Next chapter will be longer, I promise. Also, I wrote this quite quickly and straight after the last chapter in a busy train-station, so don't expect it to be perfect! The noise was a bit distracting :)**

**Thanks to MissBlueMuffin for adding this to story alert lists. And peoples, please don't forget to review!**

**The Meepsta :) :)  
**

* * *

Chapter 18-Two Questions

Natsume POV

For the last week or so, my teacher, Persona, and the hospital staff have been kindly taking care of me. Apparently, this time I was in very bad shape after my last mission. But that was all because I failed, and not often do my missions go wrong. I have had so much practice at it over the years.

I feel so exhausted lying here: maybe in anger Persona used a reduced death Alice on me. But, despite the aches and sores, I am as comfortable as I could possibly be in a hospital, warm under the thick sheets, and all my needs are supplied. Except for one. I want to see Mikan again, I want to see her smiling face, instead of her new stony and emotionless face. She would cheer me up, make me frown, then make me smile.

_You're in the hospital. Miss Sakura is here as well. I will go and visit her..._

Mikan. _  
_

___Her pain is your punishment._

Are you suffering because of my mistakes?

Has Persona kept his word to visit you?

Two questions I desperately want to be answered. Two questions that could change my life, two questions that could change me back to the anti-social alien I used to be. Two simple questions.

These special favours Persona and the hospital are giving me are not out of kindness. The real reason wants to make me sick when I think about it. They are making me healthy quickly again just so that Persona can train and send me on another mission in a few days, and then the next day, and the next. I used to be his 'favourite', but something tells me that he has another now. I have to say that I'm relieved, but have pity for his new shiny object. But maybe... just maybe Persona will go a bit easier on me from now on. It's not sensible for him to work me so hard.

Can't he see that I'm getting close to death?

A bright and cheerful voice interrupted my thoughts. A young nurse, flirting with the patient. C'est moi. Of course. In these circumstances I always wish I was just that little less handsome.

"Natsume Hyuunga?"

"Hn."

"You have made astonishing progress. It is time for you to be discharged from the hospital and returned to your usual routine."

"Hn."

"Very good. Now... off you go!"

I quickly check around the room for anybody else, and ask:

"Do you know a patient called Mikan Sakura?"

"Yes, I do. Why were you asking?"

"I just wondered how she was."

The nurse leaned uncomfortably close to me.

"You see... I'm not supposed to tell you that."

"Tell me." I said, using my most persuasive voice, that works on any female. Except for Mikan herself. Damn that girl...

"She was in a high fever for two days or so, but she is awake now. Your friend Persona is just paying her a visit."

The truth struck me. Persona has already found her, is already talking to her. Who knows what he is doing to her!

My fears are confirmed, and my two questions have been answered. And now, I definitely didn't want them to be answered.

"Hn."

I managed to say, before purposely walking out of the door, slamming it behind me, ignoring the pain in my left arm.

For the first time in my life I had no idea what to do.


	20. The fangirls

**Not a chapter that really moves the story plot on a lot, but it describes Natsume's character even more, and a bit more Hotaru. She's my favourite character... you can probably tell...**

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* * *

Chapter 19- The fan-girls

As soon as I took a step out of the hospital main doors, I was greeted by an annoying chorus of familiar voices. I had tried so hard to make the hospital attendants let me out the emergency fire escape door at the back, but unfortunately they refused. Stupid health and safety... I almost felt like burning something so we would have to go out the fire escape...

"Look! That's Natsume-kun!"

The dreaded Luna Koizumi. It wasn't a surprise to me that she was waiting for me here, and it wasn't a surprise for anybody else in the division. Everybody knew that she fancied me, but somehow, she failed to grasp the idea that I did not fancy her in the least. Hotaru even found this funny, not to mention good blackmailing material.

"We heard you were in the hospital!" Came a worried-sounding Sumire Shouda.

"Hn." I replied. She was a little bit better than the soul-sucking girl.

"Isn't he so c-u-t-e when he says that?" Luna squealed like a pig. "Hn! Hn!"

"Natsume-san! You OK?" Wakako Usami asked, the best friend of Sumire. I've always disliked her from the moment she caused Mikan to become a no-star, but she's not so bad to me...

"I sent you a card. Did you like it?" Nobara Ibaragi mumbled, quiet and timid as always.

"Yes." I replied, making her smile slightly. It was a very pretty card. I thought she had made it, because it was just like her to think up the idea. My friends Ruka, Hotaru, Nobara, Tsubasa, Youchi, and Misaki had all signed it. Although sometimes, that Tsubasa annoys me so much I couldn't really count him as a friend, and he should be very lucky that he hardly ever gets burnt. Not saying he doesn't ever get burnt. But still, he signed the card.

Mikan didn't though. Of course. I'll have to ask Hotaru about her later...

"YOU BAKA. I would shoot you with my Baka gun version 6 if you weren't straight out of hospital. Worse, the Baka cannon. Version 1. Because it doesn't need any improving."

Speaking of the devil! Suddenly in thin air appeared Hotaru, threatening to hurt me brandishing the Baka gun. Pointing at my head. Gulp. At least she was not trying to grab my attention in the way the other girls were.

"Actually you know, I might try it out. Depends on how much you pay me... hm..."

"Hey! How did you become invisible like that?" I asked, genuinely wanting to know.

"I didn't." She replied. Cryptic as usual. "Just a very fast and silent scooter."

Sigh. Conversations are always very awkward when us two are involved. The crowd, after a half- minute of blissful silence, became rowdy again.

"Oy! Leave him alone."

"He's my Natsume, not yours!"

"Go away!"

"Naaattssume- kun! You love me, don't you?"

"Marry me!"

"You look as if you need rescuing." Hotaru commented from the side-line, a smirk plastered on her face and a camera in her hand. "Hop on the scooter."

I obeyed.

Funny that she was suddenly being so kind! As we sped away above the trees and the fan-girls' desperate cries died away, it just left me wondering what kind of pictures she managed to get...


	21. Disconcertion

**Disclaimer- I do not** **own this! I really wish I did though! All credits go to the amazing Tachibana Higuchi .**

**Some POV's from Natsume and Hotaru. I think their contrasting attitudes make a hilarious pair. All the POV's have touches of humour except for the last one, and the whole chapter is quite long compared to usual. ****Anyway... hope you enjoy them! **  


**Before I write the next chapter, I want 40 reviews. Please! You people haven't been reviewing recently, and I am getting sad, and my inspiration is going, so PLEASE REVIEW! I don't mind if it is full of criticisms, in fact, I want to improve my writing, but I just want to know what you think. **

**Thank you for reading this!  
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**~The Meepsta~ :) :)  
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* * *

Chapter 20- Disconcertion

Natsume POV

It was merely five minutes before Hotaru and I arrived at the block of elementary school girls' dorms.

Hey. Hang on! The girls' dorms?

In the direction we were coming from, we must have already passed by the boys' dorms, as the two dorms are both built on the same road for convenience. Then there can be no excuse for being late to lessons, as you have to walk the same distance as everybody else. A clever, but rather pointless scheme.

Maybe Hotaru thought I wouldn't notice that we had passed the boys' dorms, as the buildings and scenery have been whizzing past in an unintelligible blur. But I know this school inside-out: all the secret pathways, cameras, buildings, and roads. My escape routes when the fan-girls get me cornered, or when Maths lessons get too repetitious.

I knew this school almost too well.

If it was anybody else driving the scooter, I would have pointed out the mistake. But with an armed Ice-Queen at the controls, I decided I would not give it a try. Too dangerous.

_Shudder_.

**Plan 1: Jump off the scooter.**

**Annoying voice in my head: It is travelling too fast, and Hotaru will probably hit me with one of my inventions.**

I was starting to regret taking up her 'kind' offer of the lift. Suspicious...

_Shudder_.

**Plan 2: Smile and hope she thinks it is normal human behavior.  
**

******Annoying voice in my head:** The Natsume I know never smiles. Don't be stupid.  


There was no doubt about one thing, though. She had a plan up her sleeve.

Quite literally, if the plan consisted of one of her inventions.

* * *

Hotaru POV

**Damn.**

Natsume was getting increasingly suspicious about my kind offer of the ride. I could see doubt written all over his face. The thing that shocked me the most about his expression was that he was actually smiling for once!

Shock horror.

His extremely idiotic grin might have worked on a naive person like Mikan, but not on the Ice- Queen, the Queen of Blackmailing. Whatever you want to call her. She knows how to read any human expression in the world perfectly, and that's why her face is almost always an emotionless blank mask. That's why my face is almost always a blank mask. But sometimes, my best-friend, that stupid Baka Mikan, just makes me happy too much to ignore. And sometimes, my best-friend, that stupid Baka Mikan, is just too idiotic to ignore. She is quite laughable at times.

Well, at least all this wasn't my idea, but Ruka's for once. At least I could blame the bunny boy for all of this. But there is one question I asked myself again and again: why oh why did I ever listen to his rambling? Just because he claimed to know the fire-caster better than I, it doesn't mean he had superior intelligence and experience.

In fact, he definitely didn't. You just had to look at his star ranking:

Hotaru Imai- 3 star.

Ruka Nogi- 2 star.

**Ha.**

I started to wonder whether Ruka knew the present Natsume as well as he said he did. Natsume changed a lot in the last year or so, basically since Mikan came to the Academy, so maybe his best-friend wasn't quite up to date.

But maybe there was nothing in Ruka's head except for white rabbit fluff. My personal favourite theory.

Stupid bunny boy.

He and his rabbit would certainly face the wrath of the Baka gun. Or lose much money. Their choice. I hoped they would choose the latter, and the less painful.

Hm... money... what would I buy? Crab brains? Sushi? Or more materials for a new invention?

$Money... is life...$

* * *

Natsume POV

This stupid swan-shaped invention had finally landed! Phew...

Nobody knows... well... Hotaru might...but I wasn't one for heights. It was one of the very many things about me that annoyed Persona no end, especially on missions. I swear he chose dangerously high assignments deliberately just to be obstinate. Or to kill me. Anyway... what was that woman doing now? I was going inside? ARGH!

What the hell was she going to do to me?

* * *

Hotaru POV

The look on Natsume's face was priceless. Absolutely priceless. Good job I had it on camera!

What did he think I was going to do to him? Kill him? I suppose he had better be careful around everybody: with Persona and his missions (yes, I know about that). He already had had far too many near-death experiences.

All I was going to do was ask him a simple question.

_What do you know about Mikan?_

And if he didn't answer, I would force him to answer using increasingly painful methods. Yes, I was mean.

Get used to it.

* * *

Natsume POV

Hotaru led me through many corridors, even through the main common room! I avoided many curious gazes (from the staff) and admiring gazes (from the girls and Narumi-sensei), annoying little voices laughing in my head.

_'Try and look like a girl...'_

_'Keep your head down...'_

_'Natsume Hyuunga in the girls dorms?'_

_'What is the world coming to?'_

I wanted to burn something to relieve my stress. Ideally, Hotaru. But realistically, something else. I did not want the unpleasant after-affects of the Baka gun.

It would spoil my face, my handsomeness... I think that's a word... sigh...

* * *

Hotaru POV

Mission accomplished. One Hyuunga boy delivered outside Mikan's room.

Phew... time to get down to business... hope this works... this was my part of the plan, not Ruka's.

* * *

Normal POV

Hotaru led...dragged... Natsume inside Mikan's room. She did not even need to unlock the door: it was already wide open. The room was bare: all belongings of Mikan's had gone, and only the plainest of furniture was left. The special star room looked like a no star room. It was as if Mikan did not exist, as if she had died. No trace of her was to be found.

Hotaru suddenly pinned Natsume against the wall, the Baka Gun pointed at his throat. He could not escape.

"Explain." She demanded. "Tell me what you know."

"I was going to ask you the same thing." Natsume replied. "I do not know anything. I promise."

Hotaru was dissatisfied. Surely, someone except for Mikan herself and the teachers knew what was happening!

"You have a choice. Mikan is at the hospital, right?"

"Yes."

"That is partly why I was waiting there, and partly to catch you. Understand?"

"Hn."

"Two options. One: pay me 5000 yen. Then, I will not sell the pictures I have taken over the last two months. They have been altered, I assure you. I really will sell them."

A short pause.

"Two: Check on Mikan tonight in the hospital. Record as much information as you can about her whereabouts, her condition, and when she will be coming back. Keep your ear tuned for any information about what is happening around her, and why her room is empty. Then, I will also not sell the pictures I have taken over the last two months. Your choice."

"Option two. I will check on her tonight."

"Good. You can go now." Hotaru removed the Baka gun from his throat, and turned away, cupping left-hand side of her face, trying to stop the tears brimming over. But still, a few escaped, and carved deep valleys into her snowy cheeks.

_Mikan, if you can hear me now, please be safe._

_Be safe._

* * *

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	22. Answers

**This is another longer chapter. See bottom of chapter for usual blah blah. Hope you enjoy.  
**

**PLEASE READ BELOW AND DO NOT SKIP!**

**I need a name for a character appearing in about chapter 24/25 ish. He is going to be mysterious at first, but kind and open with his emotions in the end.**

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**I will choose the one I think fits my character best. I thought it would be nice for my fans to choose the name for once, so the story isn't completely mine, but a bit of yours as well! Don't be really annoyed if I don't choose your suggested name, as I can only have one! :)  
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* * *

Chapter 21- Answers

Natsume POV

OK, this really shouldn't be that hard. Compared to some of Persona's latest missions, this is easy-peasy. I already knows where Mikan's ward is, thanks to a very co-operative nurse when I was being discharged earlier today. She was very keen to tell me, as it was obvious what she wanted in return. A date. I felt a little mean just walking away like that, but her, I'm the girls' so-called 'heart-throb', so why not the girls' so-called 'heart-break'?

That nurse never had any chance, never held any attraction for me. To be honest, which I always am, she looked like a pig, with hair that had gone through a hedge backwards, all frizzy and tangled. No more description necessary. Or wanted.

So, thanks to Hotaru, here I am, half-way up the North side of the hospital main ward. I'm hanging on for dear life onto some sort of creeper, my feet posted through the gaps in its rusting metal trellis. Not my ideal place to be. But thankfully, not the worst. Still, the situation could turn pretty bad if a hospital guard spotted me. I don't really have much of a case, do I?

Their evidence:

1. A dangerous ability boy loose in the grounds, but not on a mission.

2. Already sneaked past guards and cameras deliberately.

3. Armed with many gadgets (good-luck gifts from Hotaru. Apparently, if I break them, I have to pay her double the amount the invention was worth in the first place. So I really don't want to break them... )

4. Hanging half way up a creeper on the North wall.

5. Dressed in black like a cat-burglar.

6. Spying on a patient.

My excuse?

Oh yes... um... I got a bit lost?

My conclusion:

No rational excuse possible= must not get caught.

Must not get caught= must get moving.

I haul myself up the wall, inch by inch, centimetre by centimetre...

...must not get caught ...

and pressed my ear close against a crack in the wall. I heard voices coming from the room. A girl's voice. Young. Familiar. Mikan?

Could I really have guessed the right room straight away? Because all of Persona's recent missions have lead to a scratch, a bump, or an injury, I'm getting to know this hospital quite well. But I didn't think I knew it this well!

"When will I be able to go back to school?" Mikan's voice. But not cheerful and bubbly, but deadly serious. I hardly recognised it.

"Tomorrow, is that good with you, Narumi?" The ESP was there. I would recognise his sneering and unpleasant voice anywhere. Almost as bad as Persona...

"The sooner the better." Agreed the weirdo teacher. "Some of the students, especially Natsume and Hotaru, are getting quite worried for her... not that that's a very bad thing you know... friendship and trust and all that..."

"Thank you, Narumi." The ESP interrupted. "We do not have time for a citizenship lesson now. We have one more matter to discuss." A short pause. "Hīmemiya, is there still room in your dorms for Mikan? I know a new student has just arrived."

"Yes, Kuonji, I do. But not the room I had planned, only the attic remains empty." The Middle School Principal was here as well? This is like a mini staff- meeting...

"But it will only be temporary, won't it?" Mikan interrupted her. "You said..."

"I'm sure that it will, Mikan. Now, get to sleep. I'm sure you are very tired." The ESP said in a convincing tone, that naive Mikan would probably have believed. But too convincing for my liking. I bet he is lying... or trying to avoid answering her questions. "Now, tomorrow. Remember our rules, Mikan. You promised. You don't want to make me sad, do you?"

"No, I don't!" Mikan replied sincerely. Stupid girl... what has she agreed to?

"Good girl. Now, good night!"

"Good night!" The MSP.

"Sleep well, darling!" Narumi of course. Ugh.

I can hear the door shutting quietly, the voices of the teachers fading away, and quiet, but rhythmic breathing. Mikan must already be asleep! How I wish I could just do that. I'm so tired... if only I could...

**SNAP OUT OF IT HYUUNGA! THIS IS NOT THE TIME TO GO TO SLEEP!**

The sensible voice in my head shouted.

But I can't resist seeing if she is OK. I gingerly peek through the window pane.

I'm right (of course): Mikan is already asleep. Good job she was. It would be very difficult if she saw me! She would first shout my name, run into something, hurt herself, and find herself in hospital for another few days. Plus, she would alert people to my presence. Not a good combination. I looked at her again.

Mikan's flowing hair is loose and spread out on the pillow, for once taken out of her child-like bunches. I always say that she must take it out sometimes. It was untied, but not tangled or frizzy like the Nurse's hair. Her face is pale in the moonlight, peaceful, and emotionless, but I can see a slight frown on her slightly pouted lips. A small sigh escaped, before she turns on her side, hiding her face in the pillow.

What are you thinking and what are you dreaming? Am I in your dreams with you?

**YOU'RE GETTING SOPPY! STOP IT NOW! ARGHHH... YOU'RE NOT NATSUME, ARE YOU? YOU'RE AN IMPOSTER! GET OUT! GET OUT!  
**

The voice in my head was getting seriously narked now. Sigh...

I prepared to jump down from the trellis. Hotaru might be dissatisfied with the amount of information I have collected, but my personal mission is complete.

Mikan is fine, and I have seen her with my own eyes.

Mikan is fine.

For the first time in my life I smiled a genuine smile.

* * *

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	23. A very close shave

**See the bottom of the chapter for loads of blah blah stuff from me... hope I don't bore you!  
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Chapter 22- A very close shave

Natsume POV

Sigh. I can't just hang here from the building thinking for hours, you know. I suppose I'd better go and tell Hotaru what I've found out. But how much should I tell her, and should I really tell her where Mikan's new room is? She will just charge in there, armed with numerous Baka cannons (version 1, of course) and who knows what, and demand for Mikan to come back to the Elementary dorms. The spoilt money freak will ruin everything I have carefully accomplished tonight.

It was Hotaru's idea in the first place for me to spy on Mikan at the hospital, but I was the one brave enough to actually do it, although I was being blackmailed by her at the time. It should be...no... it is my choice what to do with the information I have gained.

In my mind, the person who should come to visit Mikan in secret should be used to creeping around places. Surely this person is not some inventor, but the Black Cat of the Academy. Surely this person, if caught, would almost always escape, but if they were caught, it would not be a surprise who it was. Surely this person is always there for her, not obviously waving a red flag in front of her face or being labelled as her 'best friend', but still always there.

I have decided. I'm not going to tell her where Mikan is.

Hotaru: this is your punishment for attempting to blackmail the Natsume Hyuunga of Gakuen Alice. I hope you will regret this...

* * *

Guard 1 POV

There's something crouching high up on the North Hospital wall. I can see it! But is it a bat, some sort of bird, or a small boy or girl? Better go and see...

WHOA! It's moved. I'll notify the other guards in the area, just in case it is an anti-Alice organisation spy. Where's the damn phone? Argh... too dark... can't see... better get my gun out, just in case there are others out here...

* * *

Natsume POV

_'Is this a guard I see behind me, his gun already in three seconds of noticing me pointing towards my eye?'_

Macbeth, Act 2, Scene 1, if I recall correctly. Slightly adapted to fit the moment.

**SHUT UP! YOU'RE IN A REAL SITUATION THIS TIME, AREN'T YOU, HYUUNGA? THIS IS NOT THE TIME FOR FLIPPIN' SHAKESPEARE!**

The now infuriated sensible voice of reason screamed in my head, almost as loud as Mikan shrieks. The difference between the two being Mikan screaming on the outside, making my ears bleed, and the sensible voice of reason screaming inside, giving me a migraine. Which is better? Choose for yourself. I've gotta get out of here... the guard's now getting his mobile out, others will be coming soon...

Yum. By the end of this evening I might end up in the hospital again.

Certainly, if they guards use their guns.

Or even worse, as dead meat.

Literally, if I don't get inside the hospital soon enough after being hit.

I'm thinking about dying before I'm actually dying. Charming.

Only one thing to do. Run for it, while the guard is having a nice little chat on the phone to his friend.

**RUN!**

* * *

Guard 1 POV

"Guard 2. Guard 1 here."

"What is the emergency?"

"Spotted a suspicious moving object on the North wall of the Hospital. Looks like a small person, a spy."

"Do you need reinforcements, or can you handle it?"

"Reinforcements are best. I don't know if there are others around."

"OK. We will be coming. Tell..." I spotted the figure leaping nimbly down from the wall.

"It's making a run for it! Quick!" I drop the phone in surprise. Damn. Probably broken, the cheap tacky thing. The last one broke when I put it in my trouser pocket, and my wife put it into the wash. The machine wasn't too happy about it either...very dented inside...

OK, this was the big moment in my life as a guard I had been waiting for. The only time in my job when someone in my shift had tried to infiltrate the hospital. I might even get a pay rise because of this! Hilary would be so happy...

Huh?

It's. Disappeared. Completely. Into. Thin. Air. How? What?

Must be my eyes playing tricks on me again... must go to the optician and get my glasses checked...

* * *

Natsume POV

Heh. I forgot about Hotaru's invisibility foil in my rucksack. One layer of that over my body, and...

POOF!

I was gone.

And the good thing about it was that it was transparent, so I could see exactly where I was going, and, of course, the guard's expression. I cannot describe it.

Just priceless... so priceless...

Poor guard.

* * *

**Aww! I feel so sorry for the guard now, and his wife. And most importantly, his washing machine.**

**Please review! 44 is my target! **

**I HAVE HAD GREAT NAME SUGGESTIONS SO FAR! PLEASE PLEASE TELL ME ANY MORE YOU HAVE! By the way, I haven't decided on a nationality, so your names can be from any country you like.**

**The Meepsta :) :)**

**PS: I just want to say a HUGE thank- you to lumiXx () and your very complimentary review and name suggestions! It was really helpful, and inspired my to write this chapter straight after I read it because I was really happy! I will get round to posting a full reply sometime, don't worry. Hope you're reading this now :)**


	24. Amusing Musings

**I can't believe I am actually writing this on Easter Sunday. I've got a cold (really bad timing) and laryngitis , meaning I have no voice! YAY! But that's only one reason why I'm writing on Easter Sunday. The other is that I just am _SO_** **addicted to writing this story, and since I didn't publish anything yesterday (I was writing chapter 25 early, yes I know, a bit ahead, but ah well), I thought I had to today! BTW, chapter 25 is going to be good... :)  
**

**Hope this chapter is not too OOC and quite funny. I enjoyed writing this! **

**THANKS TO EVERYBODY who reviewed, added this to alerts etc, and of course, just READ IT! Not many authors thank the people who have just read it, but not reviewed or added it to story alerts etc, but I am an exception. You're all amazing! I actually got my review target of 44, so do you think by the time I write the next chapter I could have 47? Pretty please?**

**Any more name suggestions for the mystery character? My favourite name will definitely be used in chapter 25, I promise. **

**Better start now on writing chap 24... **

**The Meepsta :) :)  
**

**PS:**

**IMPORTANT  
**

**The stuff in the normal font are just normal thoughts, the stuff in bold is Natsume's voice of reason in his head, and the stuff in italics is his message to Hotaru.**

**PPS: Try saying the title of this chapter out loud really fast. Teehee...  
**

* * *

Chapter 23- Amusing Musings

Natsume POV

Phew. Here I am, tying at the base of a huge Sakura tree in the outskirts of the Dreaded Northern Woods. Personally, I don't see what's so Dreaded about them, apart from the fact that Persona's training takes place in here. But that's a personal reason. Oh yeah, Mr Bear and Pyo live here. I forgot. Oops. Well, it's unlikely they will come bothering me now at 1:30 in the morning, isn't it? I still wish Ruka was here, or at least swap Alices for the time being! Ruka with the Fire Alice could lead to dangerous consequences, especially because he uses his Alice near animals... and might just forget he has swapped...mm... roasted duck for dinner...

You might call me paranoid, but I'm still not taking off Hotaru's invisibility foil. If that guard, for instance, had the movement sensing Alice, (quite handy for a guard, eh?) he could track me here, maybe a few metres out depending on his Alice strength. If I had taken off the foil, he would see me, and I would be found. One of the first rules the Persona taught me: don't take any chances.

I really should be sending a text to Hotaru, telling her the news. Why am I even thinking about these weird things?

Well, I'm not exactly going to tell Hotaru all the news, as I decided earlier. But some of the news. Happy now? No? Damn.

OK, you might be thinking right now two things:

1. This guy rants on about insignificant and irrelevant things and doesn't get to the point.

2. Why doesn't he just tell Hotaru in class tomorrow?

Explanation time.

Tomorrow is a 'special' day, where everybody is staying in our Ability groups for the whole day. It's supposed to be some 'Easter fun'. Natsumi-sensei's idea, of course. Were you about to say that? Sorry if I got there first...

Anyway, our 'fun' in the Dangerous Ability class is trying not to get killed, considering Persona is our sensei for the whole day. Wonderful. The annoying shadow-manipulator Tsubasa definitely makes DA classes even worse, but I suppose out 'friendly rivalry' is quite amusing in itself. He likes stepping on my head's shadow. It hurts. I like burning his hair. It spoils his good looks. So tempting...

**STOP RAMBLING AND WRITE THE STUPID MESSAGE, YOU DIMWIT!**

OK, I'll do it in a minute...

**NO YOU WON'T. THIS IS NOT A CREATIVE WRITING EXERCISE, YOU KNOW!**

I do actually...

**LET ALONE... A FANFIC!**

Argh! Who mentioned that word? The most dreaded two- syllable word I know!

Urgh. Yuck.

**Hehe...**

Stop laughing. It's not funny! People put such untruths on that website! I would really hate to be a character in a manga and be written about... who knows what Luna and me would get up to?

Urgh.

**Don't think about it.**

Good idea... although it was you who got me thinking about it in the first place...

**Open up your mobile.**

I was just about to do that.

**No you weren't.**

Ok, I wasn't then.

**Text Hotaru.**

Yeah, OK. Now go away, I don't need your help. Shoo! Shoo!

You see, I can be a very reasonable and understanding person. I get along with everybody... as long as I'm reasoning with myself.

_To MoneyLover_

_01772 218812_

_From Fireguy_

I must changed my name sometime... so embarrassing! I swear the last time I used this brick of a mobile was when I was about 8, and thought it was 'cool' to have the Fire Alice. I was very mistaken...

_H_

_Gr8 wrk, guard saw me but foil worked. Thx._

_M OK+awake. MSP, ESP, + gay dude there but cud not hear wat wer sayin. Soz. M asleep + bak 2 skl tomoz I think. C u._

_N_

That should do, but anyway, I don't have any money left to add any more. Can't go back to the dorms now, as they are all locked up for the night. Well, it is nearly two o'clock now.

Ah well... it's not that cold after all! It is late April after all. Just thinking of Mikan being safe make me warm inside...

**SOPPY ALERT! ALARM BELLS! DONG-I-LONG-I-DONG-LONG...  
**

Ah, you're back again. What did I tell you?

**To warn you when you get un-Natsumeish.**

I don't remember saying that...

**But since we're the same person, technically, you did say that...**

Oh shut up.

**Who said that they get along with everybody earlier?**

You.

* * *

**Hehe...**


	25. Strictly against the rules

** Mini-cliffhanger at the end of this chap. I know you love them :)**

** Next chapter is going to be another filler one, and then 26 is the huge one, featuring the mystery name! Please keep on suggesting...**

**50 reviews for next chappy? Pretty please? I really won't post it if I don't get 50...  
**

******The Meepsta :)**  


* * *

Chapter 24- Strictly against the rules 

Mikan POV (Walking to class)

At last! It's been three whole days lying in that hospital bed, at least one of them completely useless to me. You don't know how many times I tried to persuade them I really was OK, but they wouldn't even let me get out and have a walk around to stretch my legs. At least being in hospital is useful in one way: they gave me permission off all gymnastics lessons for a whole week! Yippee!

I just can't wait to see my new room this evening, and I hope it has a pretty view. I've never been in the Middle School dorms before. I really hope I'm staying close to Nobara or any of my other Middle School friends. They're really kind, and they'll also stop me from getting too lonely for the next week or so. I hope the ESP keeps his promise... if I'm good and obey his two rules, maybe he'll let me go back to my old lifestyle a day early! That would be good, as I'm starting to miss it already... a bit weird...

I've decided that I'm going to be good, and do what they say, even if it means ignoring my friends. It feels so cruel to me, so unnatural. The looks they give me hurt me deep down, the way they desperately try to cheer me up, talk to me, help me. But they don't understand. They can't ... don't... know anything about it. If only I could have one minute... just one minute... to tell them a little about what is going on, and we would all feel much better. We would all understand. But I can't have one minute with them, I can't tell them.

Because it's strictly against the rules.

* * *

Ruka POV (Outside the Homeroom classroom)

Isn't that Mikan, out of hospital already? Well, I shouldn't really be surprised; it has been a full three days since she was admitted! I'll go over and give her a hand with those books; she's probably still very tired and shouldn't be carrying heavy things. I wonder what was wrong with her, and why she collapsed. I hope she's OK now...

Silly Ruka, of course she is! Stop worrying... stop worrying...the hospital wouldn't discharge her if she wasn't 100% better! However, she does look a little pale and dejected though... maybe I should go and get Hotaru to cheer her up... surely she wouldn't use her Baka gun on her at a time like this!

Is that really Mikan? Yes!

So why isn't she smiling back?

* * *

Mikan POV (Outside the Homeroom classroom)

Oh no!

Ruka's seen me here, and is now smiling at me with a huge grin on his face. He doesn't smile that much, still more than Natsume though, so he must be very pleased to see me back. But what should I do to avoid hurting his feelings?

Answer: I can't do anything.

I just walk on straight past him, steering a wide circle around him in the busy hallway. It's harder than you would think, resisting the temptation to smile back or approach him at all, and is taking a lot of my self-control to do it. But I've managed it.

I'm strangely pleased with myself.

I walk inside.

* * *

Sumire POV

Mikan's back!

I have to admit that she's not one of my closest friends. She annoys me by spending way too much time with my sainted Natsume and calling me Permy, but I am glad she's better now. When I heard she went to the hospital, I did get quite worried! She's a cute girl: cheerful, bubbly, and the whole spirit of the class! I think everybody missed her a bit. Especially Narumi-sensei. Ugh.

* * *

Hotaru POV

Mikan? She's back? Huh?

I assumed Natsume was wrong when he said in his text that she would be coming back to school today. My conclusion is that he could have simply misheard it last night, or had a bit of wishful thinking. We all wanted her back of course, even Natsume was showing it a little!

Knowing Mikan, (And believe me, I have for 6 years...) she would always have come and told me personally that she was coming to school as soon as she came out of hospital. Her behaviour recently has been quite un-Mikanish, if you ask me.

If that is even a word. Sigh.

OK then. Her behaviour recently has been weird. Is that a better word?

* * *

Koko POV

Haha. My Alice is the best at occasions like this...

* * *

Natsume POV

She's pale, silent, and unsmiling. Everybody is very happy that she's 'better', but I think she's actually got worse. Just because you've come out of hospital doesn't mean you're necessarily 'better'. It just means there's nothing more the hospital can do to help. I know this from personal experience. Trust me. Some wounds, wounds in the heart, don't heal fast. Some never heal.

I made a mistake last night. She isn't OK, and there's no sensible voice in my head to tell me what to do this time.

Aha! I've got a plan...

* * *

Narumi POV

Deary me!

Mikan doesn't look that happy this morning, does she?

That rhymes! This doesn't. Hm.

I wonder what's wrong with her though... the hospital said she was better...

* * *

Normal POV

"Good morning, my lovely darlings!" Narumi danced around the classroom in a pink tutu. Everybody groaned. They were in for a treat this morning... "Today is a very special day! As I'm sure most of you know, we're having some Easter fun. We're all going to stay in our Ability Groups for the whole day..." Some groans from the DA class members, and cheers from the others... "And have a wonderful time! Enjoy..." He frisked out of the door, bumping into many items of furniture on the way. Sigh. Typical hyper Narumi...

Everybody made their way out of the classroom, Mikan going first. She headed towards the Northern Woods.

The training ground for the DA class...


	26. Sudden change of plan

**Hi everybody!**

**Over 2000 words again (the chapter, not including the author's notes)! Wow, I really am making longer chapters now. I did promise... :)**

**Before I forget, LOADS of thanks to do! **

**Life'sEternalSong , **

**Alise-chan ,**

**TheBadsun ,**

**addict99 ,**

**HazZel and CriMson ,**

**MissBlueMuffin ,**

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**animelover1410 ,**

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**lexinemelody ,**

**bcatty,**

**jazfiction145,**

**Aelita56,**

**And many many many more of you! Sorry if I have still missed people out! I know I have :( It's just really hard to keep track of you...  
**

**And of course, I have to thank all you AMAZING reviewers! Keep telling me what you think! **

**Last thanks go to all you people just reading my story, not leaving a review or adding it to alerts etc., but reading it anyway. I hope you have enjoyed it! There are a wonderful lot of you, which makes me very very happy :) :) :)  
**

**I have school exams coming up, so may not be updating as often, although I'll try to write as quickly and as much as I can!**

**54 reviews for next chapter?** **And don't forget, the next chapter (excluding the mini-chapter before it)** **is going to feature the mystery name! Don't forget to get your last ideas in** **ASAP, or I might have decided on the name and posted the chapter before you get your idea in! That would be sad :-/**

**The Meepsta :) :)**

* * *

Chapter 25- Sudden change of plan

**Outside the homeroom classroom...**

Natsume POV

Why has that stupid gay sensei just called me over individually in the corridor? Normally, I get the message of:

_'You annoy me. Come any nearer and you'll regret it...'_

...over to incredibly annoying people like him, but looks like this time it has failed. This message must be urgent (If it isn't, he will certainly get burnt to a crisp... yum... Narumi crisps...), because he must know I have to get DA class on time. Persona will kill me if I don't!

Quite literally.

But I don't suppose there is a lot of planning and reasoning going on in that dude's brain... why does Mikan even bear with him? She has the power with her Stealing Alice to permanently eliminate his humiliating pheromone ability. That's the only thing stopping me right now from eliminating Narumi-sensei himself. I'll try and convince her sometime when she's back to normal, talking to... and at everybody in sight. But since he can't actually affect Mikan with her Nullification Alice, and he acts protectively like 'the father she hasn't got' (sad sighing and weeping noises, especially from the said man himself...), she won't want to do it. I do owe him something for talking care of her when I'm not there. Maybe I won't burn him after all...

My final conclusion is that he's an unsolvable case, a complete failure. He's just weird, and nobody can do anything about that, but he deserves to live I suppose. But just thinking of him makes me want to be sick.

Ugh...

* * *

Narumi POV

Why does it have to be my job to deliver messages to Natsume Hyuunga. I suppose I am his homeroom teacher, but why me? Probably the ESP's idea of some fun...

Sniffle... honk...

The glare he just gave me actually sent shivers down my spine. If looks could kill...

* * *

Normal POV

"H...h..." Narumi-sensei stuttered. "H...Hy...Hy..."

"Oh, just get on with it, Gaylord." Natsume yelled in his ear, making the whole corridor stop and stare at them, bursting into laughter at the teacher's new nickname.

"H...h...Hyu...um...Hyuunga...er... I have a message for you." Narumi finished quickly, with much difficulty.

"Who's it from?" Blunt and direct as usual.

"I don't know..." Vague as usual.

"That's useful." Natsume jibed. "Give me a message, and don't know who it's from. "

"It m...m...might say inside... let me see... er..." A short silence. "P?"

"Give it to me. I know who that is. Now, goodbye." The fire-caster ran off, leaving a dumb-struck Narumi leaning for support on the wall. Poor wall.

* * *

Natsume POV

I unfold the scrappy piece of paper carelessly, trying to rip it. Argh! What did that Persona want this time?

_Black Cat_

_Urgent.  
_

_Needed on mission to Musashimurayama with Ice Princess on 20th. Meet by the front gate with full gear at 10:00 am ready to leave. All will be explained.  
_

_P  
_

A last minute message from Persona about another mission? And with Nobara, of all people? Surely he knows I despise her! I only put up with her because she is a good friend to Mikan. Fire and Ice do not make a good combination...

Wait, when is this mission anyway? The 20th April... what's the date today? I've lost track of time in the last three days... better go and check the notice board.

It says today's four days before Easter, Easter being the 24th of April. So today must be... the 20th? The mission is today?

What. The. Hell.

Why is Persona suddenly trying to get rid of me?

Damn. Better get going.

* * *

**Meanwhile, in the Northern Woods...**

Normal POV**  
**

"Mikan? What are you doing here?" Tsubasa asked, worried for her safety. He chuckled. "Silly! Don't you know, this is where..." Mikan just gave him a threatening glare, stopping him in mid-sentence. A voice came from behind them, making the poor boy quake in his boots even more. Was the world against him today?

"I think you'll find that our new friend is actually quite well-informed to the location of the Dangerous Ability class. Mikan... come."

* * *

Tsubasa POV

Move. Damn it! I'm completely rooted to the spot, utterly speechless.

But this can't be right. It's all a nightmare. No... this can't be right... Mikan... she's not... she's not one of us!

Is she?

* * *

Normal POV

"I have talked with the ESP, and he has agreed that for today, you may talk and introduce yourself briefly with your future Dangerous Ability classmates. Is that fair?" Persona asked, his words more a statement than a question.

"Yes sir."

"Good. I am satisfied with your behaviour. Now, follow me..."

* * *

Mikan POV

Why I am doing this? Now I remember. It is all for Natsume's sake, all for Natsume.

Something tells me that this is not right, for me to suffer instead of him, but I know I must go on. I know it is right for me, as a friend of his, to do this for him. At least, I think I'm a friend of his. He's always so cryptic, I can never really tell!

It hurts me to see him hurt, to see him in so much pain. At least, if I do the missions instead of him, it will save him all of that, and save me those frightening visions and dreams that keep me awake all night, as images flash through my head. And I will not let him ever know that I take the burden for him, because he'll waste his energy trying to stop me. It's all for his sake. It's all for Natsume.

* * *

Normal POV

Persona crept silently through a gap in the thicket, surprising his students by suddenly jumping into the clearing, landing nimbly on two feet.

"You should have been prepared for an attacker. You, Andō . You're the most experienced here. I shall have a word with you after this. Class begins now, you know what that means. No talking, disobeying instructions or rules." He reminded them, sternly. "Apart from Hyuunga and Ibaragi , are we all present?" There was a pause as he silently took the register. "Today, we have a new member joining us. I'm sure you will already know her. Come." He beckoned to an unseen figure behind the trees. She walked into the clearing, sunlight making her long brown hair shine, and her pale face glow.

"Sakura Mikan. Transferred from Special Ability class. Alices: Nullification, Stealing, Insertion, and Emotion."

"Thank you for the introduction, Sakura. Any questions?" He pointed to an older tawny-haired girl with beautiful jade eyes, sitting under the shade of a rose bush. "Hitomi. "

"Excuse me for asking, but what is your age? Are you in the elementary division?"

"I'm in class 2B, elementary division, aged 12..." Mikan answered, a small smile almost creeping onto her face. Almost.

"Any more questions?" Persona interrupted, reminding Mikan that she should not be saying anything more.

"Let's start then. Because two of our small number aren't here, we're supposed to be having fun today, and Sakura is new to the class, we will be focusing on how to make powerful Alice stones. At the end of the session, you will be putting them in a box and picking out someone else's Alice stone randomly. I already have Hyuunga and Ibaragi's Alice stones, as they made them for me earlier this morning before they had to go. All of you except for Sakura should know how to make a powerful Alice stone, so I will be assisting her. Unless it is an emergency, do not interrupt us. We will gather again in two hours time, at half-past eleven. Any questions?" The class started shuffling, wanting to get straight on with the task.

"One more thing." The class sighed. "If I know that one of you has told Hyuunga or Ibaragi about our new member here, I will personally see to them. Don't worry, I will tell them in good time." The persistent cheeping of a blackbird broke the tense silence, a few seconds later falling down dead by Persona's feet. "There will be dire consequences. Learn from this bird's mistakes. Class dismissed."

* * *

Mikan POV

What an unlucky blackbird. It's life didn't have to be ended, just to prove a point that did not necessarily need to be proved... poor birdy... another thing that had to be sacrificed for Natsume's sake...

* * *

Tsubasa POV

So it is true that Mikan is now one of us. I just don't know what to say. Even if we were allowed to tell Natsume about Mikan's transfer into DA, I wouldn't like to be the one to tell him. He'd surely go berserk! Not a nice thought... an out of control Fire Alice...

* * *

Youichi POV

Huh? Isn't that Natsume's friend, the happy girl Natsume always calls Polka?

I hope she won't get hurt like the others. I like her. She's nice.

* * *

Hitomi POV

I pity that new Mikan girl. She is young, and has extremely rare and valuable Alices. It is obvious that she will be used and drained of energy by the school until she drops down dead. She just doesn't realise it yet, and by the time she does realise it, it will probably be too late.

Poor girl.

* * *

**Two hours later...**

Normal POV

"I am pleased with your efforts. It seems like a different task for once has motivated you. Put your stones in the box." After all of them were collected, he shook the container vigorously, alarming many of his students standing nearby. "Do not worry. Alice stones will never break. Now, pick one and put it safely into your pocket. Mikan shall go first. Do not look at it until you leave this wood." After everybody had taken a stone, he uttered his famous words.

"Class dismissed."

* * *

Mikan POV

The stone feels so warm in my coat pocket, sending pleasant shivers up my hand... up my whole arm. If only I could take it out and admire it, but I can't while that demon Persona is still watching my back. I wouldn't be surprised if next time I see him, two horns have sprouted from the top of his head.

I bet the stone is very beautiful. I can feel that it's perfectly formed, and extremely, and unnaturally smooth. I wonder who made it? I wonder if I will ever know?

* * *

**A mini-chapter next, then onto the chapter I have been building up to for ages, now chapter 27, planned to be chapter 26. Ah well...**

**Hope you enjoyed it! **

**The Meepsta :) :)**


	27. A maddening discovery

**Hi again everybody!**

**I'm in the middle of revising for my exams, but I started to feel really mean and depressed about not updating, making you suffer, waiting for the next chapter. So, I wrote this mini chappy. Don't expect it to be very long, as I obviously don't have much time at the moment!  
**

**Next will be the very very long chapter I have been working up to, featuring the mystery name. I am putting the finishing touches on right now. Can I have 64 reviews before I post the next chapter? You may ask 'why 64?', but it's my second favourite number (144 being my favourite, spot any pattern?), and since we're getting quite close to it (being at 57 at the moment), I thought it had better become my reviews target.  
**

**Life'sEternalSong, you will find your wish in your great review has been granted in this chapter :) I thought it was a brilliant idea (I honestly hadn't thought of it myself) so I've used it, and I also wanted to make you haaaaaaapppy! I'm not very good at writing from Tsubasa's POV, but please tell me what you think!  
**

**Thanks to ALL alert people: **

**miko647635 **

**Life'sEternalSong **

**RoseWing-chan **

**flame67 **

**G.A.S.A **

**AnimexxGirlxx13 **

**Tsuki-chama **

**And ALL the reviewers:**

**RoseWing-chan**

**natsumeslover **

**Life'sEternalSong **

**AnimexxGirlxx13 **

** .NatsuMi **

**Neophyte's Serendipity **

**PaTchoRa **

** lumiXx **

**I LOVE you all, whether you review, add this to alerts or lists, or just read! Please carry on supporting me and this story! Oh, and if I've missed you out of my thanks, it's not because I don't like you, it's just I've missed you! A huge apology if I have missed anybody!  
**

**The Meepsta :) :)  
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* * *

Chapter 26- A maddening discovery...

Tsubasa POV

I've managed to escape the suffocating aura of the Northern Woods, gasping for un-Persona'd air as if drowning, suffocating. His presence makes anyone perish, no matter how strong or weak they are or become, in the end. However, how quickly the person perishes depends on how many missions they attempt, complete successfully, and how many they fail. Whether it is bodily harm, blackmailing, or harm of someone else close to the poor 'persecuted individual', the consequences of failing are always severe and cruel. Some students never come back from missions, and it's not as rare as you might assume. Dying on a mission is obviously counted as a fail by Persona. A 'shame', a 'disappointment', Persona once said when my old Dangerous Ability partner in Elementary Division 'disappeared'. She had only just turned 10 at the time, and I was 10 too. It took me a while to realise that she was never coming back...

But let's shove those disheartening thoughts away, and be like the normal Tsubasa, enjoying the pleasant spring sunshine while we have it. Sunning on a bench outside the Middle School Boys' Dorms in free period is quite enjoyable and relaxing, I really must try it again. I wonder where my precious, darling Misaki is? If she was just now to come walking by, what would she say, seeing me lying here, stretched out in the sun? What would... what could she be thinking when she walked past...

**DAMN IT!**

Blockhead.

Don't think of her, she definitely won't ever be thinking of you.

Dimwit.

She doesn't exist. She never existed. She never will exist.

Plonker.

Sigh. Will I ever stop insulting myself? OK, I need a really good distraction right now. Ideas anybody?

Hellloooo?

Ah yes, that's a good thought. Well done me! I can now see whose Alice Stone I've got. I really hope it's Mikan's ... she's such a cute and lovely girl... and I could do with a Nullification Alice stone with all of Persona's despicable 'errands' coming up! Or maybe Natsume's would be more useful, being powerful, very dangerous, and the creator being my rival and long-standing arch-enemy. He would get a taste of his own medicine, his own Alice stone being used against him. That would make him seriously mad! Or if I had Nobara's Ice Alice, the opposite to the Fire Alice, that would be very useful against him too! Teehee... just think of what mischief I could wreak with someone else's Alice stone... well, let's take it out then and see...

Hm. It's a black Alice stone... exactly like mine...

Medium sized... exactly like mine...

Light as if hollow... exactly like mine.

**Damn. That. Ugly. Black. Slug. Of. A. Sensei. For. Setting. This. Now. Pointless. Task.  
**

He really does look like a slug, actually... but...

**What a ****STUPID WASTE OF MY PRECIOUS TIME!**

It just had to be me to pick out my own stone. I am so not telling Misaki about this. She'd just call me names: 'Idiot... fool... dunce... halfwit... clot', you name it!

Actually, don't.

Think about it; all the girls would have gone crazy if they'd got mine, and I was counting on getting an useful one back. But now what? No revenge on Natsume, no help with missions. I shouldn't have got my hopes up. Just like with Misaki. She'll never like me...

Must keep calm... think of the warm sunshine... think of Mikan... think of how the whole rest of the day is going to be spent with Persona...

NO! Don't think of that!

Just close your eyes... and... sleep...

_Sleep..._

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

"Tsubasa?" A familiar and welcome voice...

"Tsubasa?" Misaki...

"You OK?" I could feel her warm breath tickling the side of my face...

"Ah... you're asleep!" How very wrong...for once...

"You know, you're kinda cute when you're sleeping... ARGH! Why did I even say that?"

_'Because you love me, darling.' _I silently thought, my 'cute' face showing no emotion, even though I wanted to smile. A compliment from Misaki from all people was really worth something...

I opened one eyelid lazily, brown meeting a shocked purple, a shocked purple meeting brown.

My only reply was to kiss her...


	28. A new friend?

**Hi everyone!**

**The most awaited chapter 27 is finally here, including the mystery name! Well, it has been around the place: first planned to be chapter 25, then 26, then finally settling on 27, but it's great to have it published at last. It was supposed to be published at about 1,800 words (including the author's notes), but I just kept on adding scenes and POV's until I got up to 3000 words EXACTLY in the end, making it by far the longest chapter I have ever done (but still quite short compared to some other authors)!  
**

**I know I haven't got anywhere near my review target, but I'd finished writing this chapter, so I thought I might as well post it anyway! My old review target was 64, so that's what I'm aiming for before posting the next chappy! Anyway, please enjoy! I think this one is one of my better, and certainly one of my longer, chapters! **

**By the way, a huge thanks to Cometflare for Story and Author alerts, and also to for your lovely review! And I'm not forgetting all you wonderful people just reading this right now! You're just as important as everybody else.**

**Please please please don't forget to drop a review when passing by! Don't forget, 64 for the next chapter!  
**

**The Meepsta :) :)  
**

* * *

Chapter 27- A new friend?

Normal POV

Mikan looked around her new bedroom in the attic. Already, she was missing her old special-star room, the snug purple four-poster bed, the beautiful view out from the stained-glass window, and all the presents over the years from her family and friends. Here, the bed was lumpy and the springs perished, the furniture was plain, and nobody had even bothered to bring her belongings. She was stuck, at least for tonight, with a wonky mint-green toothbrush, that had hopefully not been used by someone else before her, and an unappealing bar of gunky brown soap. Her only two welcoming presents to this pathetic place.

Charming.

But she would just have to make do with it for now. After all, if the ESP did keep his word, she would only have to stay here for a week at the most! Still, compared to this room, the hospital was Heaven! When she awoke yesterday, she was covered by white sheets, surrounded by white walls, white tiles, and even a cool white breeze coming from the fan on her bedside table. Everything was clean and sterilised to perfection. Completely the reverse to this place... yuck...

* * *

Mikan POV

Whoa! Is that a small doorway over there? But it's blocked by that old rickety desk, probably an 'antique', and extremely valuable. But I'm not in the mood today for two-hundred year old rotting fragments of wood. They annoy me.

Ha.

Argh! NOOO! I'm starting to sound like Natsume. Shock horror! Despair! That pervert has a bad influence on everybody around him...

* * *

Normal POV

Mikan clambered over the desk, determined to get to the doorway. Now here, I have to tell you that gymnastics was not our dear Mikan's 'forte'. In fact it was her worst subject at school, even including Maths and Science. This is really saying something! Mikan crashed into a frilly lampshade, this landing hard on her head making a luminous hat. She shook her head in confusion, the tassels wobbling and tickling her ears and neck, making her squeal like a tortured pig. All in all, she looked and sounded stupid. Really stupid.

Fail.

* * *

Mikan POV

Thank goodness Hotaru or Natsume aren't here to see this. Even the timid 'Prince Charming' Ruka might have a snicker, or his bunny certainly would. It's funny, after spending so much time with him, how I can understand what emotion his animals are trying to express.

Ugh... that was really stupid of me! I should have known not to do that after recieving my half-term report on my gymnastics progress...

* * *

Normal POV

In her annoyance, Mikan kicked the door, hoping it would magically glide open on first contact.

Another fail.

After the incident, she limped away with a throbbing ankle and a slightly dented, but still locked door. Hm. What now?

Then she noticed the unlocked window. The wooden frame in the winter cold had expanded, meaning that it did not close any more, and it was conveniently close to the balcony. If only she could stand on the ledge and jump...

"Hey. Girl. You." A masculine voice came from outside, making Mikan start and jump away from the ledge. "Need a hand? "

* * *

Mikan POV

Am I going crazy, or is there really a young man crouching on my window-sill at... what time is it.. ten o'clock at night?

How the hell did he get there? And why is he even here in the first place?

AHH! I'm scared!

Don't panic. Think of Hotaru. What would she say?

* * *

_(Mikan POV)_

_Flashback:_

_It's just another breakfast at Alice Academy. Sigh. The rowdy students are at it again; squashing us and pushing in the line. Double sigh. Hey, what's Natsume doing... Natsume... argh! He was peeking at my underwear again!  
_

_"Spots today." He whispered into my ear, snickering.  
_

_"You... you... pervert!" I shrieked, hoping to make his ears bleed. I tried it again, " You... you...pp.. ARGH!"_

_**"BAKA. BAKA. BAKA." **The Baka gun. OWWW! My 'best friend' obviously thought I was making too much noise. I hate her!_

_"H-O-T-A-R-U! Why? Why shoot me? Why?" I cried, upset by her sudden and cruel action. It was only going up for 8am in the morning, for heaven's sake! "I thought we were best friends!"I screamed deafeningly in her ear, getting my revenge. Oh, but I do love her... as a friend... obviously. I wonder if I could have a hug? She wouldn't shoot me again, would she?  
_

_**"BAKA. BAKA. BAKA."**_

* * *

(Mikan POV)

OK, don't think of Hotaru. Then I start thinking of Baka guns and me being an idiot as usual. Not a cheerful subject!

* * *

_Flashback:_

_We were having a snowball fight in my garden under the Sakura tree. It was the first snowfall of Winter, and __flakes fell in my open mouth, tingling. It was a wonderful sensation...  
_

_"Hey!" shouted my little best friend from behind me. I foolishly turned around to face Hotaru, with my mouth still open, trying to melt some more snow-flakes... just to find three snowballs coming my way..._

_THUMP. THUMP. THUMP._

_Ew. Yuck!  
_

_Half an hour later...  
_

_" What did I tell you, Mikan?"_

_"Sorry, Ojiisan."_

_"You'll get ill now, being hit by that wet slush."_

_"Sorry, Ojiisan."_

_"Can you say anything else except for 'Sorry, Ojiisan'?"_

_"No..."  
_

* * *

(Mikan POV)

Ojiisan.

No, can't think of him either. Think of something else... ah yes...got an idea! What animal would this stranger be? Obviously he isn't, because he can talk, but anyway... I know! Surely he would be a black cat, as he is dressed in black leggings and a plain black shirt, and an ornate mask covering up all of his head except for his eyes. They sparkle and glint in the moonlight like two polished emeralds, twinkling with unheard laughter. It's really strange, weird, looking at them...

AAH! I now can't look away from them! But they're so beautiful, no other word to describe it. They're just beautiful. But somehow, slightly artificial...

Why on earth am I thinking that? Stop it, stop it! And talking about Black Cats makes me think of that perverted, idiotic, infuriating Natsume. His code-name for Dangerous Ability missions is 'Black Cat'... I've seen it on some of the notes he recieves in homeroom period...

Hey. I'm calling Natsume the idiot here, but just who is the idiot right now? After not talking to him at all, what must this mysterious stranger think of me now?

Baka.

* * *

Normal POV

The stranger shattered the silence by speaking again.

"Don't you seriously say to me now that you were trying to jump out of the third-storey attic window. Tell me, are you suicidal, have manic depression, or what?" The mystery person joked. After seeing him closer up, Mikan assumed that it was indeed a boy, probably a bit older than her. He was quite tall, well built, and very well-spoken.

"No I wasn't, actually." Mikan retorted. "I was trying to get to the balcony. You see, the door is locked and I don't have the key, but the window is jammed open."

"Here, I'll give you a hand. Trust me, I'm not going to drop you or anything!" He joked. "Looking at you, you're probably as light as a feather."

"I'm not, you know."

"Bet you are."

"Not."

"Are."

* * *

Mikan POV

Sigh. I hope this person is going to stop this little skirmish with me soon. He's like Natsume's identical twin... no... maybe his brother or cousin then...

* * *

Normal POV

"Not. Anyway, why are you here anyway? Just to annoy me? You're like Natsume, you know, Natsume Hyuunga. Know who he is?"

"Heard of him..."

"Not surprised, he's quite famous. Arrogant jerk. He even calls me names by my underwear pattern!"

"Shocking..."

"What's your name anyway?" A short pause.

* * *

Mikan POV

Why has he hesitated and not told me his name straight away? I would, if I was in his position! Does he not trust me or something?

* * *

Normal POV

"Akito. Amamori Akito. Yours?"

"Mikan. Sakura Mikan. Can I call you Atsumo?"

* * *

Mikan POV

I like the nickname Atsumo. It's sort-of cheeky, nice, and cute at the same time, but thinking about it does make me think of Natsume. I wonder what he is doing now, and if he is OK. Was he on a mission in the Dangerous Ability class session earlier? He won't have a clue why I'm ignoring everybody recently... I hope he's not annoyed, or thinks I'm annoyed with them. I don't want to have to nullify or temporarily steal his Fire Alice... that would make him even angrier than before. Plus, it would exhaust or injure us both. Who knows, he might even be worried for me right now!

_Don't do anything rash, Natsume._

I think everybody just needs to learn that I might be naive, but I'm not so naive that I can't take care of myself. I know what I'm doing. Akito seems a very nice person, someone I can trust, someone I can like. I know what I'm doing. But why can I say this so confidently when I've literally only just known him for 5 minutes?

* * *

Normal POV

"Why?" He replied, slightly surprised by her question.

"It's 'Natsume' and 'Akito' mixed up. " Mikan explained to him. "It kinda suits you, and it's quite a cute name. You're so much like the real Natsume... but kinder and nicer of course!" She laughed. "And you don't call me Polka Dots or whatever it is..."

"OK, you can call me Atsumo if you want. That Natsume guy sure sounds interesting." Atsumo interrupted, chuckling.

* * *

Mikan POV

Why did you have to mention Natsume? I'd just got all thoughts of him out of my head, and now they're back again. Gr...

* * *

Normal POV

"He's annoying." That stopped the conversation.

"Fine. So be it. But there's probably more to him under the surface, you know."

"Yeah... probably."

"Now, do you want a hand to get out here or not?"

* * *

Mikan POV

I'm not that light, you know, and I most certainly don't want another trip to the hospital from a 3-storey fall... should I really trust him? What if he drops me? I might die, just because of my stupidity. But something...something in those emerald eyes... something so familiar but so distant... tells me that I can trust him. I can trust him.

* * *

Normal POV

"Yeah, OK..."

"Right! Don't struggle, and whatever you do, don't scream or anything. Ready?" Mikan took a deep breath.

"Yep."

"3... 2... 1..." Atsumo lifted her gingerly out of the window and sat her down on a metal seat outside.

"That was easy!" Mikan exclaimed, rather too loudly.

"Shh...be quiet, or we'll get in trouble."

"Sorry, Atsumo." Mikan hung her head.

"Cheer up!" Atsumo touched her chin with his long, elegant fingers, lifting it up slightly. "Your sad face doesn't suit you, you know."

"You don't know how much I've been told that!" Mikan grinned. "Tell me anything about you. I'm interested, you know. I know who you are technically: Amamori Akito, but who really are you?"

"I'm in the last year of the elementary division, probably in the same year as you. I am new to the school, and they hide me away because of who I am, and my Alice. I have no friends, and I allow nobody to see my face. All in all, I am a mystery. I am 13 years old, and my birthday is November 27th." A short pause. "That's all I'm going to reveal for now. Your turn."

"Looks like I'm in the same year as you, then. I'm in the Dangerous Ability class, Alices: Nullification, Stealing and Insertion, and Emotion. Best friend: Hotaru Imai since we were very young. Friends: Nobara, Ruka Nogi, Natsume Hyuunga, I suppose. I don't know when my birthday is, but I was found by my... um... Ojisan..." Mikan swallowed and started again, "...when I was very young on January 1st. I'm not very clever, and am pretty hopeless at all subjects except for Athletics. Recently become a Special Star. Is that enough information? Oh yeah, did you know that you share the same birthday as Natsume Hyuunga?"

* * *

Atsumo POV

Oh. Damn. That was not clever of me...

* * *

Mikan POV

That's a very strange coincidence! As well as he being similar in personality, but not attitude, to Natsume, he also shares the same birthday. Of all the days in the year... it's November 27th...

* * *

Normal POV

"No, that's funny! Just one thing left to ask you: why are you staying in the Middle School Building when you are an Elementary student?"

"Long story."

"I have time."

"A very long and boring story."

"You're not going to tell me?"

"No."

"Oh, OK then." Atsumo sighed. "You'll end up telling me someday: I don't think you're a very secretive person."

"You're probably right."

They sat side-by-side in silence for a moment, watching the stars. Atsumo broke the silence.

"I'd better be going now."

"Oh, you'll have to lift me back in again."

"Right. Here I go. 3...2...1... oof!" He plonked her down on the window-sill.

"Will you come and visit tomorrow?" She asked hopefully.

"Maybe, if I have time. I'll probably see you around though!"

"I'm so lonely! Please! Please?"

"OK then."

"Yay! Thank you!" She threw her arms around him, dismayed to find that they did not go quite all the way round. Like her arms never met around Ojii-san. And never will. They might not even go round his coffin...

"Sleep well."

His breath tickled her face, deliberately ruffling her hair so it went into her eyes. By the time Mikan had blinked the hair away, he was gone. Only a slight parting in the bushes told her of his departure.

The mystery Atsumo left as silently as he came.


	29. Paranoia

**I'm really very sorry about not updating! My exams are in a week and I'm revising frantically :-/, but after that I will update very quickly as usual! Please, no flames about me not updating for ages, as I'm trying my very very hardest.**

**Review target 78?  
**

**The Meepsta :) :)  
**

* * *

Chapter 28- Paranoia

Mikan POV

It's so difficult to know whether to trust him, you know... Amamori Akito ... or 'Atsumo' as I nicknamed him. Although it's silly, and I know it, I can't help thinking that he could be some murderer of little innocent girls! You see, naturally, I'm everyone's first choice of a cute, innocent girl. So maybe that's why he was here, obsessively stalking me... watching my every move... ready to pounce...

Scary.

_Shudder._

I wouldn't even know who he is when he kills me, with that elegant mask and those dark black clothes on. He literally could be anybody... even Persona...with some very convincing acting.

_Shudder_...

Even a female acting as a male!

_Shudder_...

Extremely alarming thoughts! Aah... Help me! Anybody?

Helllooo?

Silly Mikan. Stupid Baka.

That's what Hotaru or Natsume would say in this situation. No, scrap that! Natsume would just call me polka-dots instead, getting my blood pressure up. He'll be the end of me I swear...

**Don't think of them. You're not supposed to be.**

Voices in my head. Sigh. You're surprised that I have a sensible inner core, aren't you? I'm used to it...

* * *

Atsumo POV

That moron! When is she ever going to get to sleep? Surely she realises that she needs it desperately! Maybe not...

Oh damnation! I just can't risk hanging around here any longer when she's still awake... but I don't want to go back...

* * *

Mikan POV

But what if Atsumo is trying to kill me? His emerald eyes are a very distinctive feature I suppose... but still! What if he's an assassin, a spy for the government? You do see quite a few of them around here in Gakuen Alice. Wow, he could even be...

Oops.**  
**

If Atsumo could know what I was thinking about him, he'd hate me, and awfully hurt. I don't want to make him sad. He is a really kind and generous person under the surface...like Natsume... I suppose...but I will never admit it! Hm... Atsumo definitely shows it more. And that's a very good thing! He's also great to talk to: making me less lonely immediately just by having that quick chat.

Heh. If I'm not allowed to talk to my friends and classmates, why not Atsumo? I don't really know who he is or why he was here, so you can't exactly count him as a friend or a classmate! Hehe...

* * *

Atsumo POV

What's that girl grinning about now? How else can I try to get one simple fact over to her simple brain?

_Get to bed._

_Sleep is good._

Improvement! She's moving... getting her pyjamas... and... changing?

ARGH!

I've gotta get out of here... right... NOW!

* * *

Mikan POV

Apologies again for being a bit...paranoid... about things. You can't really blame me: it's not that often that you find a mystery student at Alice Academy crouching on your windowsill in the late night... now... where are my pyjamas?

* * *

Atsumo POV

Major disaster. I'm stuck half-way up a pointy laurel bush, and the branch I'm on is cracking... slowly... millimetre by millimetre...

_I've fallen out of favour..._

Huh?

Centimetre by centimetre...

_And I've fallen from grace..._

This is no time for a stupid song!

Inch by inch...

_Fallen out of trees..._

That's so true and ironic in the situation! Oh dear.

Metre by metre?

CRAAAAAACK...

* * *

Mikan POV

Whoa! Hang on? Hey! Talking about being paranoid, did I just see something outside in the bushes?

* * *

Atsumo POV

I hope she didn't see that. If she did... poor little Atsumo is dead!

* * *

Mikan POV

Ah no, it was just nothing: my eyes playing tricks on me once again! I really do need some sleep... don't I?

Sigh. I really hate this room...


	30. Haunting Future

**Hi everybody!**

**Sorry about the short chapter and short author's note last time! I have just managed to squeeze this chapter in, writing in any spare second I can get when I'm not doing music or revision! Anyway, a few notification thanks first:**

**jazzflame**

**natsumexmikanfan**

**Meryq**

**abi clarke**

**And the wonderful reviewers of course... I have replied to you all** **by posting a review on my own story as usual. If you did review, please check out my reply, and if you didn't, why not? :)**

**Ok, this is a bit of a vivid chapter, which will all make sense in the end, I promise. I know that you will be very very confused because of this, but don't flame about it, because it will make sense in the end. I hope you enjoyed my writing, even if you don't understand what was going on yet! Reviews?  
**

**The Meepsta :) :)**

* * *

_Chapter 29- Haunting future_

_I hurry along the pavement as fast as is safe in the icy weather. The bitter wind slaps my cheeks, and I breathe in the putrid scent of rusted metal and rotting junk-food. There is a Mac-Donalds and a Burger King nearby. That explains the horrible stench in this back-alley of the town._

_I swear I am re-living this moment, that I had seen it, experienced it, even dreamed it before. Very strange...  
_

_My thoughts are interrupted as something skitters over my left trainer and races behind a row of dull metal dustbins. I swear under my breath, and hold my precious child closer to my chest, protecting her from the grime and the truth of the outside world._

___Hatsumi, the name we chose for her. The h from my best friend's first name, the atsu from... him... and the mi from my very own name. _

_ I calm my beating heart as something gingerly brushes my leg, sending an unpleasant tingling up my spine. It was only that rat again... just that rat... I convince myself.  
_

_Being only one year old, Hatsumi would probably find the pitiful creature 'cute'. But I did not. Disgusting creatures..._

_A large splash of water from a passing lorry splattered my face, coating it in smoky exhaust fumes that made me cough violently. Why did I have to get asthma at a time like this? I just wanted to get home, hide away in my room, hoping that the truth did not pursue me any longer. But I knew it would not work.  
_

_Because he was gone, and there was nothing I could do._

_Nothing left to live for, except for my child... our child... Hatsumi. I have to keep her safe._

_Nothing left even to die for. _

_That is why I am still alive.  
_

_She is my only object of affection, my existence, my soul. She is why I am here now... walking down this road right now, on a grimy Saturday evening in a grimy November. _

_November._

_The word has no meaning for me now. It is his birthday, today, I vaguely remember. One year now since he was gone. _

_One year._

_I cross the empty street, the street- lamps flickering omiously in the gloom._

_I re-live the moment.  
_

* * *

_Then I see a young girl tossing and turning fitfully in a bed. Her hair is tangled and wet, but she does not care. _

_She is drowning in her dreams, the stars outside like flickering street-lamps and her face wet from the spray from a bus.  
_

_The future haunts her as she recognises herself in her dream.  
_

_The future haunts me as I recognise her._

_Myself.  
_

* * *

_My foot hits a patch of black ice in a pothole in the middle of a road. _

_Slipping._

_Falling._

_My head hits the cold tarmac, and bright spots of light dance over my vision._

_My vision is not so bad that I can't see the number 8 bus veering around the corner at high speed. The bus driver does not see me, lying there in the road. He does not swerve, avoid, just carries on driving..._

_Driving..._

_What would he do?  
_

_Driving..._

_Save the child.  
_

_Driving..._

_I thrust Hatsumi away with all my energy, all my might._

_But it was too late. And too little.  
_

_I failed him.  
_

_The bus hits us, sending us flying over the tarmac, bouncing off the kerb-stones at the edge of the road.  
_

_I feel pain... intense pain in my arms, my legs, my neck, my spine..._

_My whole body._

_I hear her screams, as blood floods her lungs, as my child chokes to death. There is no way that a one-year old could survive that hit._

_But I check anyway. That is what he would do._

_My child was broken, as limp as a rag doll. Her chest was not rising or falling, her breath did not tickle my cheek._

_She was gone._

_My face is wet. I don't know why. Was it the splash of dirty water from the lorry, or something else._

_Tears?  
_

_I was broken, as limp as a rag doll. But I was alive._

_Why?_

_I have failed him. I should be the one to die._

_But I will anyway. That is my fate. _

_My future haunts me._

_I have been here...seen this before. And I know where. In a reoccurring dream, that would never go away.  
_

_I know what comes next.  
_

_The bus driver does not swerve, just carries on driving away..._

_Away..._

_Away..._

_Away..._

_He probably thought the bump in the road was the pothole that I lie over, or he saw my form, and just did not care._ _Either way, I am alone in the night, dying, the life and the blood draining out of me. I feel like road-kill... or like a poisoned rat. Helpless. My Alice cannot help me now._

_Away...  
_

_He was always there to save me, and I was always there to save him. But now he is gone, I must go too. But why Hatsumi? Why did she have to die?_

_I can only hope that I will meet her and my love in Heaven..._

_For I know I will die._

_My future haunts me once again.  
_


	31. A Disclaimed Past

**Hi there!**

**Author's note is at the bottom of the story this time! I hope you enjoy, and please read the AN at the bottom!**

**The Meepsta :) :)**

**Disclaimer- I do not own Gakuen Alice. I really wish I did, but there is no chance of me ever owning it, so that's tough... :-/  
**

* * *

Chapter 30- A Disclaimed Past

Normal POV

Mikan suddenly woke up, wrenched willingly out of her frightening dream. She didn't realise how early in the morning it was until she saw the dim sky and the rising sun out of her window, cowering behind the thick canopy of the Northern Woods.

She lazily checked the clock on my bedside table, smacking the display button, almost breaking it in the process. Just after half six.

Great.

There was no way after that nightmare she would be getting to sleep, maybe not for several days. She needed it though, as even her eyes were beginning to deceive her last night. She was certain that she had seen something in the bushes...

* * *

_Flashback (Mikan POV)_

_I'm having dinner with my Ojiisan in the kitchen: some delicious duck ramen._ _He is in a very good mood today, should I press him for more information about my parents? I am genuinely confused about their death: Ojiisan had never told me anything about them..._

_"Ojiisan? Please tell me about my parents. Anything! I just want to..." __" My voice fades away, as he takes a deep breath in, and prepares to speak..._

___"Mikan, can I trust you not to get... cross... with me about this?"_

_"Of course, Ojiisan, I'd never get cross with you about anything!" I reply earnestly, my body language urging him to continue. He has never said that before!_

_"I am not your Grandfather, Mikan." His voice is deadly serious, unlike the Ojiisan sitting, slurping at the soup before. There is a pregnant pause, as my glass of water clatters down on the mat in my shock, spilling slightly, making it cling to the bottom of the glass. _

"_Your mother approached me, in a right state, one winter evening. She pleaded for me to take you in. So I did. That is all there is to it."_

_"And my father?" I croak, with difficulty._

_"I do not know. I'm sorry..."__  
_

* * *

_One year later..._

_"Ojiisan!" I sob uncontrollably into his kind shoulder. But he is not my Ojiisan, I remember. Ever since he told me that, quite a while ago now, I have always felt that I was never quite good enough for my parents. Why give me away? Did they not ever love me, not one bit?  
_

_"Mikan?" His concern was obvious in his voice. "What has happened?"_

_It was the day... the day that my best friend, Hotaru, left me. I was only ten years old. Her harsh words and actions made the situation worse, the use of her latest weapon, and even worse, the tortoise mail letter, containing the news.  
_

_"Tell me." Ojiisan demanded._

_I told him all._

_"A lesson for life, my child. First, no-one should cause you harm or bad health if not necessary. Do not mope around the house, thinking of her. She had a good reason to leave for this 'Alice Academy'. Second, no-one should ever force you to do anything. Do what you think is right... you will be unstoppable..."_

* * *

Mikan POV

Ojiisan would not be proud of my behavior after the news. I can picture his disapproving face vividly in my mind, watching all this going on from the heavens, not able to help. That must be horrible! Still, he has a reason to be annoyed: I have not slept or eaten, and been practically forced by Persona to join the DA class. Why have I done these things?

* * *

_Flashback_

_I'm sitting on a train, going to Tokyo. I know what I'm doing. I remember one day... the day when Hotaru left... when Ojiisan said I should do what you think is right, and no-one should even force me to do anything. So, I'm going to Tokyo... to see her one more time.  
_

_To Alice Academy. _

_I don't know where I'm really going, where the Academy even is. I don't know where I'm going to stay, how I'm going to get there, and get back. _

_But the most important thing is that this is right... and I will be unstoppable... I am unstoppable..._

* * *

Normal POV_  
_

With a heavy sigh, Mikan got out of bed, and entered the bathroom to get dressed and ready for classes. However, she was completely unaware (as usual) that a pair of eyes watched her every move from outside..._  
_

* * *

Time skip one hour: walking to classes

Mikan POV

What's that weird lump in my skirt pocket? It's getting really annoying now... OW... when I walk... OW... or move, and... OW... I can feel already that I'm getting a...

**OW!**

...bruise! Who knows what size it is by now? I'd better have a look then... see how bad it is...

**"KYAHHH! HELP ME!"**

Oops. Did I just scream that out loud?

My thigh's actually gone purple, the colour matching Hotaru's amethyst eyes! Creeeepy. I wonder if it's an after-effect of her regular use of the Baka Gun on me, or an illness caught by staying around smart people too much. I should have known it...

But why do I always have to be so dense? And why me, not that arrogant jerk? And most importantly, why does Alice Academy uniform not include tights? It's only flippin' April you know, not July or August! Then I would understand, but... ARGH! EVERYTHING'S SO STUPID!

Life's so unfair at the moment...

* * *

Atsumo POV

Hn.

What's that Baka doing now? Oh look, she's got a bruise, an evil-looking purple one at that. And she's... she's poking it? And screaming?

Clever.

That's sarcasm, just in case you haven't noticed. Talking about noticing things, when will Mikan actually realise I'm here, watching her from half-way up a tree?

OK? It's a bruise, so get over it! How terrible. Sarcasm again. You can probably tell I'm not that kind on these kinds of matters, you know. I've had to deal with far worse on missions than a microscopic, ordinary bruise. Like Persona, for example. He comes into this catagory.

Argh! How long do you have to examine it before coming up with an 'official diagnosis'? I'm getting very very bored here!

Tum ti tum ti tum ti tum... fa la la... tum ti tum ti tum... maybe I should start whistling...

* * *

Mikan POV

When I put my skirt on tomorrow morning, that purple splodge will look really weird, even from a distance. But hopefully, nobody will be looking at the 'new' and 'silent' Mikan. So it shouldn't matter... really...

But why am I thinking about these kinds of things? It's not as if I'm... _shudder_... impressing someone.

Is it?

ARGH! Don't think of this kind of stuff... it doesn't help... what is that lump in my skirt?

* * *

Atsumo POV

Helloooo? Earth calling Sakura Mikan? Aah. She's spaced out.

What's with the Earth and Space?

I'm seriously astronomy-brained at the moment...

* * *

Mikan POV

Oh, of course! I can't believe that even I forgot for a whole day to check what Alice stone I've got. That's what the mysterious bulge is!

I don't completely trust Persona's statement that _'Alice stones will never break ', _because surely an object can't be completely invincible, so I'll take extra care not to scratch or break it. It would be an awful shame if it did get harmed...

Look at it! It's... it's...

**_WOOOWWWWEEEEEEE!_**

* * *

Atsumo POV

What's she getting out of her pocket? Hang on! An Alice stone? But... that... that looks like... better distract her before she starts to guess anything... it's better that way...

* * *

**Hi everybody!**

**I'VE UPDATED!** **I wasn't planning to write this for a while, but it was my friends' birthday, so I decided to give her a treat. I hope you're reading this now, birthday girl! :) Sarah? Hello? Also, I felt a bit mean about my dedicated readers (YOU, yes YOU!). **

**One of my famous cliffhangers has just been delivered! You love them, don't you? Review, and you'll get the next chapter quicker, and hopefully, some of your questions might be explained! But that's only a 'might'! :) **

******Thanks to anokoxxx for adding this to his/her story alert list and to all the reviewers and readers! You're all GREAT! :) **

******73 is a brilliant number, but** I would like 78 reviews if possible **for next chappy. This took me a while to write, as it was all from scratch and not from my story plan, and I don't have much free time in the dreaded exam period. So please be kind and say what you think! But please, no flames: I don't want my already- high stress level going up any further!**

**The Meepsta :) :)  
**


	32. Dancing Embers of Fire

**A/N is at the bottom as in last time.**

**Please read and enjoy,  
**

**Thanks**

**The Meepsta :) :)**

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Chapter 31- Dancing Embers of Fire

Normal POV

The Alice stone Mikan cradled in the palm of her hand was certainly an extraordinary specimen. The breath caught in her throat as she examined it more closely. Frictionless and pleasantly warm under her fingers, with thin veins of white spider webbing across the centre; it was a great masterpiece and a large one too! Its oval shape fitted snugly into her cupped hands; an unusual size and shape for an Alice stone. It made it seem like it was specially crafted for her.

Her decision was that someone very skilled and experienced at making Alice stones created this one, with much effort and toil.

But why?

Persona probably forced whoever it was to make it so huge, she thought with disgust. What a detestable man he is! Something so beautiful had been made, almost certainly by force, with so much energy and hard work, just for a DA exercise! The thought repulsed her, and made her reject the stone. One idea of hers was that she should give it to someone as a present, or hide it somewhere in the grounds. But it was not hers to give and not hers to throw away either: something that Ojiisan used to often say.

She gazed down, and the stone's beauty dazzled her again.

The sun had now moved above the main building. The still early- morning light caressed the stone, throwing a warm shadow on her face, and the rays of light bounced off the glassy surface. A phrase... more a set of haunting words... whispered once again through Mikan's mind. She had ignored it before, but the voice was becoming increasingly insistent.

The four words summed up the stone's appearance precisely, and any observer would think that such a complex task was impossible.

Four simple words, five simple syllables.

One sentence.

One breath.

_'Dancing Embers of Fire'._

The light would dance in the morning, invisible hands entwining, feet leaping, to an invisible tune and beat. The sun would rise high and proud above the trees of darkness, shoving away the embers of the night. Then the fire would burn until the evening, until the angry sunset sank low below the trees, day giving way to night once more.

But even in the dark, the embers would keep glowing... keep burning.

And would never die.

_'Dancing Embers of Fire'._..

* * *

**Hi everybody!**

**The title of the fanfic is explained, or at least now you know what it is refering to! As you have probably guessed, the stone is quite significant in the story... for reasons yet to be stated...  
**

**Please tell me any things you liked about this story, or hated (but not too many flames please ), or if you have any questions. I will answer them as long as they will not spoil the story for you if I do! I got my wonderful review target for this time, so I'm asking for four more for next chappy (this is not a long chapter, just one with loads of description, so I don't expect loads). You were all brilliant reviewers and supporters. Just a quick thanks to:**

**Fuzzy Fireball**

**Shiawase Lover**

**Unique Pancakes**

**...and all the wonderful reviewers, who I will properly reply to as soon as I have time!**

**Four more reviews?  
**

**The Meepsta :) :)**

**PS: Hannah-chanxox, please read this, and don't be lazy! You're not doing revision. You don't fool me. GET ON HERE AND READ THIS NOW! :) :) R+Sluggy xxxx  
**


	33. Obviously

**The last chapter only had 64 hits and 58 visitors? I have to say I'm a bit disappointed in you people! I know it was mini, but it took me valuable time to do, and my 30 Alert people should have been notified when it was updated. I hope they were! Cheer me up please, or I won't have any inspiration for the next chapter. I certainly don't right now, and it's why this chapter is a little mini. :|**

******By the way, hello to all the new readers out there, and sorry about this depressing A/N. :)**  


**90 reviews would make me very very happy. And, if we do miraculously get to 100 soon, the 100th reviewer will have a chapter dedicated to them! :) So, review?  
**

**Yours still quite disappointedly,  
The Meepsta :) :)  
**

**Note:**_ Italics_** are Atsumo's thoughts in this chapter.**

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Chapter 32- Obviously

Normal POV

Atsumo nimbly leaped down from his discreet hiding place: a hollow in the poplar tree just above Mikan's head. He landed just behind the brunette, deliberately kicking up the surface of the dusty path so she would notice his arrival. But the preoccupied girl just carried on as she was before, staring at the glowing Alice stone and walking...no... Wobbling... in an alarmingly wonky line. Anyone who did not know Mikan well would have been concerned, and thought that she was ill, but Atsumo knew that it was just her normal behaviour. He had been watching her for quite a while...

"Mikan?"

The girl whirled round in surprise, unintentionally slapping Atsumo in the face with her long pigtails. She quickly shoved the stone into her coat pocket, but unfortunately, she was not quick enough. He had already seen too much of the stone to be certain of what it was, and he knew exactly who it came from. _How puzzling..._

"Ah... sorry Atsumo. I didn't see you there!"

"Only keeping my promise." He replied, a half-smile almost flitting across his face, partially hidden under the black mask he had always worn. "I can go away if you want..." Atsumo knew very well what Mikan's response would be.

"No! Please don't go!" _See, told you! Didn't I? Stupid author for not writing it down..._

"I will go, unless you answer one question for me." He threatened, but with a playful edge to his voice.

"OK!"

_Sakura Mikan, naive as ever. Sigh... when will she ever learn the concept of 'terms and conditions' before committing herself to something? I could quite possibly have said 'I will go, unless you do something for me.' That 'something' could have involved jumping off a building. The scary thing is that she probably would do what I said... without a parachute, of course..._

"What did you have there, in your hand? It looked pretty, can I look at it?" Atsumo faked ignorance of the Alice stone. He only wanted to confirm the facts before coming to any conclusions.

"Erm... nothing!" Mikan replied anxiously, just wanting the conversation to stop right there. It was obvious even to the simplest person that she was lying, and she herself knew it perfectly well. Hotaru had told it to her on numerous unfortunate Baka-gun occasions. Mikan blurted out the first thing that came into her head:

"Hey, isn't it a nice day?"_ Yeah, the sun really shone off that Alice stone you were holding..._

"Very nice. That object you were holding was obviously something, because I saw it... and..."

"And of course that proves that it exists... because of course you're the most important person in the world..." Mikan interrupted him, only to be cut off abruptly.

"You promised me! I want my side of the bargain, otherwise... I'm leaving. Right now." Atsumo turned his back on her, and began to walk off.

"No..." Atsumo turned to look at her, skeptically.

"Yes! Go away then." Mikan replied, annoyed at his expression.

"I guess this conversation counts as the visit for today..."

"No... No! Come back!" Mikan rushed after him, grabbing his arm tight, and her knuckles digging into his skin. Atsumo put on a burst of speed, trying to run away from her. Unfortunately, Mikan found herself being dragged along the path behind him in a terrible dilemma.

1. Let go and you'll fall like even more of a complete idiot in the dirt.

2. Carry on being dragged along. There's nothing like a free dusty ride to wherever he's planning on going... but certainly not to classes...

She chose option 1.

"Argh... you big bully!" She shouted up to him from the floor, now in a childish tantrum. It was her stone, not his! Why should she show it to him?

"That's the biggest insult you can think of?" He mocked. She jumped up, standing on her tiptoes. Her attempt to bear down on him was not going to work; he was still taller.

"You... pervert!"

"How am I a pervert?"

"I bet you are, secretly!" Atsumo only had to chuckle at that. "You school-uniform ruining vandal!"

"Ah... sorry about that."

"But it's too late now." A short pause followed, most uncommon in this particular argument.

"Any more insults?" _I quite enjoy them, you know..._

"Ha! You just reminded me. You... Hyuunga!"

"Huh?" Atsumo cocked his head, confused.

"That's the ultimate insult of all insults. Obviously, Hyuunga. That's your new name."

"My new name is obviously?"

"NO! Your new name is Hyuunga."

"But you said..."

"You can be 'Obviously' if you want. But **that's not what I said**!

"I decline your kind offer of the name 'Obviously'. I just don't feel...it suits my personality!"

Mikan snorted.

"And actually, I do recall that you said 'That's the ultimate insult of all insults. Obviously, Hyuunga. That's your new name.' So this means that..."

"Oh. Shut. Up. I know what you're going to say..."

"... you need to improve your grammar!" Mikan's mouth formed a big O._ Wrong again, Mikan!_

"And you need to improve your manners."

"So do you. And, by the way, why should I even listen to what you're saying?"

"You shouldn't. It's not as if I'm supposed to be... "

Mikan covered her mouth with her hand, muffling a gasp, as she realised she had said something she didn't mean too. "So... **GOODBYE**."

She turned on her heel and stomped off, leaving an irritated but amused Atsumo in stitches...

_She has the potential to annoy everyone, but also to warm the hearts of everybody who understands her. I'd better keep an eye on her at all times..._ _such poor lying skills can lead to disaster..._

And he headed towards the boys dorms to change into something more... practical...

_Classes smasses... humph..._


	34. Idiotproof

**Hi there,**

**Managed to update, away from prying eyes! This is just a filler chapter (sorry), but I hope you enjoy it anyway.** **But please don't ask me what Natsume's doing, as I will keep that to myself... but you can message or review with any ideas!  
**

**I'm not expecting loads, ****but can I please have some reviews**? It would be nice to get to 100, and the 100th reviewer will get a dedicated chapter... promise! :)

**The Meepsta :) :)**

* * *

Chapter 33- Idiot-proof

Normal POV

_D__ING-A-LING-A-DING-A-LING..._

Went the break bell at half-ten, making anyone standing nearby clap their hands to their ears, wincing. Now you see, the bells at Gakuen Alice aren't just normal bells... they're 'idiot- proof' bells. You can probably tell who invented them by the name. Think carefully...

'Idiot-proof' is quite similar to 'Baka'-gun, isn't it?

Yes, you got it right: our wonderful designer here is Hotaru Imai!

Her theory is that the louder you make the noises and the bigger the vibrations, the more people should wake up and come to lessons. Sensible, eh? Except, it never works for some obstinate types of people, like 'Natsume Hyuungas', who sleep deliberately outside so they don't get woken up by the bells, and 'Mikan Sakuras', who wouldn't notice if an elephant sat on her when she was asleep...

But never mind. It was, after all, one of Hotaru's first inventions at the academy.

But, still, you don't want to think of how loud the fire alarm bells are...

* * *

Narumi-senseii

Half an hour late, guess who's just rolled up to class? My favourite student!

Hyuunga.

I don't want to admit that I'm scared of him... which I'm not, of course... ha ha... but... well, some of the looks he gives me could kill...

And, most importantly, what's that burning smell, and why aren't the fire alarms going off? Maybe the batteries need replacing, if Imai had even made them work on battery power... wish she could have told me...

My head itches, don't tell me I've caught lice again! No... please no! Wait... huh?

That's... not... lice... it's...

Fire?

My hair's on fire?

* * *

Normal POV

Natsume sidled up lazily to the homeroom teacher. A large crowd, by this time, had gathered at the scene, trying to suppress sniggers at Narumi's... unfortunate predicament.

"Hey. You want your hair to be intact?"

"Y... y...y-yes?"

"We need to talk."

"Of course, my little cupcake! What would you like to talk about?"

"Cut that fluff out." The flames increased.

"OW! OK ... OK... we can talk, Hyuunga!"

"In private."

"In private?"

"That's what I said, parrot."

"Sorry... Hyuunga. Um... my office, at twelve- thirty?"

"Now."

"But it's lessons now!"

"Tough, I wasn't thinking of going to lessons anyway. It's urgent, so I need to see you now." Narumi thought for a moment, and bravely said:

"I'm sorry Hyuunga, but you haven't gone to..."

"I know. But are my grades slipping?"

"No..." He said, missing the point.

"So it doesn't matter then. Take me to your office now, and no running away. Your hair might receed even further..."

"OK then, follow me." Narumi sighed, as yet again, he had lost the argument with his student. "Hurrah!"

"Enid Blyton perverted freak..." I heard the fire-caster mutter, as he shut the door hard on the teacher's face...

That's going to leave a bruise.


	35. Who am I now?

**Hi everybody!**

**I did this chapter, as well as for the plot, to show a deeper side of Narumi, not just the silly and idiotic one.**

**Sorry for the mini chapter again, but this is all I have time for now. Thanks for all the reviewers about my... unfortunate situation with my parents and fanfiction. You're all very nice people, thanks, and some great tips on how to convince them. But for now, I will keep on going as I have been, and the chapters will keep on coming...**

**Some more reviews would be nice... and don't forget that the 100th reviewer gets a dedicated chapter!  
**

**The Meepsta :) :)  
**

* * *

Chapter 34- Who am I now?

Normal POV

The boy invited himself to sit down, as the teacher was still massaging his nose in the corridor. It was a sight not too rare, as swing doors often rebounded on the unfortunate person standing behind, in this case being Narumi-senseii.

A common trick, especially used by the Elementary Students, was to appear polite, by holding the door for an unsuspecting adult. Then they would let go just as the adult reaches it. But, of course, it wasn't deliberate...

"Ah sorry... did I hit you?"

"Yes, you did once again, Hyuunga. You don't have much control over your hand-grip, do you?"

"Talk to Persona about that if you want." Natsume shot back, and Narumi paled, thinking about talking to the DA ability class teacher.

"Erm... maybe not then. What was it that you wanted to talk about?"

"Sakura."

"What about Sakura..."

"Well, I suppose, not much." Narumi looked confused at his statement. "What I mean, is that she's not doing much, and nobody's doing much about it."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

OK, so Mikan Sakura, the cheerful, bubbly girl of the class is not talking to anyone, acting coldly, like me on a very bad day, and studying. Studying? Have you ever seen her study before? And she keeps getting mysterious messages and notes in the register. Tell me, what are they, and why is she acting so strangely?""

* * *

Narumi POV

"Sakura." Oh God... save me.

"What about Sakura?" I fake innocence, trying to use some of my Pheromone Alice in my voice.

"Well, I suppose, not much." He replied, giving me a bad feeling about what he was going to say next, as he was obviously planning something. "What I mean, is that she's not doing much, and nobody's doing much about it. "

True... true... but what to do?

That rhymed!

"I don't know what you're talking about." I denied again. This was what the other staff would say, and so should I.

"OK, so Mikan Sakura, the cheerful, bubbly girl of the class is not talking to anyone, acting coldly, like me on a very bad day, and studying. Studying? Have you ever seen her study before? And she keeps getting mysterious messages and notes in the register. Tell me, what are they, and why is she acting so strangely?"

I swear that was the longest speech I've ever heard him deliver... what a record! He's obviously concerned though, so why shouldn't I tell him? It's just because I swore not to, on the future of my job and post.

I can't.

I can't endanger worsening my relationship with the Principles even further just because of this.

"I'm afraid I can't tell you anything, Hyuunga."

And I twisted my earring, and Natsume's eyes widened.

"You wouldn't dare... you don't need to do this. All I want is an answer, one answer. I trusted you. **I trusted you!**"

And my Alice activated, sending him into a deep sleep.

_"I trusted you..."_

I suppose now I'm just like the others... ruthless, hard-hearted machines. My promise to Yuka has been broken. I said I would look after the children at the Academy, and now what have I done? Someone who was worried for her child ... cares for her child... I inflicted my Alice on him, for what reason? Nothing. Why did I even do it?

Who am I now?


	36. Conscience

**Hi!**

**This chapter is dedicated to HeideeMay, our 100th reviewer. Thank you... thank you... thank you! All of you have been great supporters over the last... how long?... so please keep it up. You don't want me to be sad, do you? (Rhetorical question, please do not answer)**

**111 (nice number, eh?) for next chappy?  
**

**The Meepsta :) :)  
**

* * *

Chapter 35- Conscience

Natsume POV

What's the matter with me now? Rarely have I felt so confused, so completely clueless, in my life. My surroundings are a complete mystery, although I can just make out a few fuzzy shapes, possibly a whitewashed ceiling and some wooden furniture. And before you suggest it, I don't even want to think about how I got here. Not remembering who I am is a more urgent problem.

Anybody want to tell me?

**Sigh... you're Natsume Hyuuga, Dangerous Ability student of Gakuen Alice.  
**

Thanks for the helpful introduction... Mr... erm... what's your name?

**Natsume Hyuunga.**

Oh dear... I'm talking to myself again?

**Yes.**

Do you think it would be a good idea to go to sleep again? I'm so tired...

**...**

Heeeellllloooo?

**...**

I'm going lightheaded again... it's just so tempting, and... and...

**...And you mustn't go to sleep.  
**

That's what I meant.

**Right...**

Was that sarcasm?

**You decide.**

Rude. Anyway, what was I doing before I woke up here?

**Why should I tell you?**

Because ... you're my friend?

**Sound more positive about it.**

You're my friend!

**And you'll never doubt me again?**

No, not if you tell me how I got into this mess. No lying, please.

**Sigh. You're so forgetful nowadays...**

Tell me.

**You went to visit your homeroom teacher, Narumi-senseii, on a matter of... the Sakura girl. After singeing his hair and shutting the door in his face multiple times, you entered his office.**

Yes?**  
**

**He found the situation to be rather... awkward, and...**

...Activated his Alice.

**Oy, that was my line. **

I remember now... no... no... noooo!

**Hmph...  
**

Tough. Where am I, by the way? There's a television bleeping from somewhere, and I'm lying on something comfy, like a mattress or a sofa. Am I in someone's room?

**See for yourself.**

Gr. Tell me, where am I?

**In a room.**

Well, duh. Who's room am I in?

**Yours.**

Wha? Why would I be in my room?

**Why are you asking me?**

You are my conscience!

**And?**

You're supposed to be wise and 'all-knowing'.

**And?**

Sigh. I'd better open my eyes then and have a look...

**Well, get on with it!**

And, when I force my eyes open again...

It's my room.

**Told you.**

Nah nah ni nah nah then. Bleh.

**Gotta go.**

Already? Have a nice day!**  
**

**You're starting to sound like a Kentucky Fried Chicken worker.**

Is that a compliment?

**No, a profession.**

You're going to pay for this later.

**By the way, you have a visitor.**

Who?

**Not telling.**

Pretty please?

**Bye!**

I'll give you Mikan's howalons. I'll ... I'll ...

**...  
**

An anxious voice interrupts my thoughts.

"Natsume, you're awake?"

Ruka?

"I was so worried... stupid sensei! You wouldn't wake up for ages, and I was just about to take you to the hospital."

What... why is he here?

"Ruka?" I reply, my voice cracking. "What ... what happened?"

* * *

**A mini cliffhanger for you all. Hope you enjoyed, and remember, 111 for next chapter!**

**The Meepsta :) :)**


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